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Ammon News - Deputizing for His Majesty King Abdullah II, Health Minister Firas Hawari opened on Saturday the 7th Medical Tourism World Summit, Conference and Expo, which was organized by Talal Abu-Ghazaleh Global (TAG.Global) and Pioneers Road Company.

Hawari told the opening session that Jordan is distinct for its various developed medical specialties and achievements in the diagnosis and treatment of diseases and surgical interventions, noting the close cooperation between public and private medical and tourism sectors to promote the Kingdom as a destination offering medical services that accommodate the developments in the medical field.

He said the government continued to carry out royal directives in support of medical tourism to promote the status the Kingdom had acquired in this domain through upgrading health services, expanding infrastructure, elevating the efficiency of human resources and forging partnerships between Ministry of Health hospitals, private hospitals and universities to raise the capacity of medical cadres.

He said that the number of public and private hospitals in Jordan rose to 127, with a capacity of 18,614 beds, which, along with tourist resorts, contributed to promoting medical tourism.

Hawari explained that medical tourism in Jordan is on the road to recovery from the repercussions of the Covid-19 pandemic, which struck in 2020, when the number of visitors to the Kingdom for treatment dropped to about 111,000 from a high of about 235,000 in 2019.

The number climbed to about 157,000 in 2021 and reached 85,000 in the first half of 2022, he added.

Tourism Minister Nayef Fayez told the conference that Jordan has great opportunities in medical tourism, thanks to an abundance of therapeutic sites, hot and mineral-rich spring spas, moderate weather and scenic landscapes, as well as outstanding hospitals and professional doctors, who brought the Kingdom its reputation.

Fayez explained that the weather is another key factor as it attracts and promotes investment in medical tourism sites, including the Dead Sea, Ma'in and Afra hot springs, Wadi Rum and Al-Hamma.

Director-General of the Jordan Tourism Board Abdul Razzaq Arabiyat said that his institution uses digital technology to promote tourism and highlight diversity after "things returned to normal", through various programs, including medical, cultural and historical tourism, recreation, adventure tourism, business tourism and conferences.

For his part, President of the Arab Tourism Organization Bandar Al Fahid said Jordan is a key medical tourism destination at the local, regional and international levels, and was among the 10 most advanced countries in this field.