Ammon News - Assistant Director General of Jordan Tourism Board (JTB) and director of "Urdun Jannah" programme, which encourages domestic tourism, Yazan Khudair, said the program achieved its goals set during the past two years.

This success, he noted, is represented in maintaining sustainability of Jordan's tourism sector's work during the Covid-119 pandemic, retaining local workers and providing local tourist trips to citizens at promotional prices.

Khudair, in an interview with "Petra" on Thursday, said about 206,000 participants benefited from the program from the beginning of 2022 until mid-December.

The citizens' turnout in the program's trips was "high" and numbers exceeded the target figures in action plan, he said.

Meanwhile, he said 2023 program's action plan will target tourism service providers from the local community to benefit their businesses and incomes directly and help develop their micro, small and medium enterprises.

The program managers are "constantly" conducting field visits to check on readiness of the new tourist sites that will be included in the trip plans for desert palaces, Azraq Wetland Reserve, and adventure tourism trails, he said.

Khudair affirmed partnership with the private tourist associations is a continued policy of Ministry of Tourism and JTB, noting that periodic meetings are held with sector's leaders to discuss improving the program’s trips.