Lubna Hanna Ammari

Jordan’s stunning natural landscapes from the rosered canyons of Petra to the tranquil shores of the Dead Sea and the desert skies of Wadi Rum are not only national treasures but internationally recognised symbols of ecological and cultural wealth. Yet as the global climate crisis intensifies, safeguarding these assets demands more than heritage preservation or promotional campaigns; it requires a profound transformation toward sustainable, carbonneutral tourism that aligns environmental protection with economic growth. In this pivotal moment, Artificial Intelligence (AI) has emerged as an invaluable ally, strengthening Jordan’s environmental awareness, optimizing resource use, and accelerating the Kingdom’s journey from clean air ideals to real climate action.

According to the Environmental Performance Index (EPI), issued biennially by Yale University and Columbia University as a globally recognized benchmark for environmental quality, Jordan ranked 77th globally in 2024 out of approximately 180 countries, improving from 81st in 2022, reflecting measurable progress in overall environmental performance despite significant challenges, particularly in biodiversity and habitat protection. Regionally, Jordan performs relatively well within the Middle East and North Africa, leading Arab countries in certain subcategories such as air quality, where it ranked first among Arab nations and 46th globally in a previous report. These indicators confirm that Jordan is not among the world’s most polluted countries; rather, it generally ranks in the mid-to-high range globally on major environmental metrics, especially in air quality.

Tourism is a cornerstone of Jordan’s economy, contributing to job creation, foreign exchange earnings, and cultural exchange. However, like tourism worldwide, it also bears an environmental cost. Globally, the tourism sector accounts for an estimated 8–9 percent of total greenhouse gas emissions, mainly from transportation, accommodation, and resourceintensive activities. Addressing this footprint requires adopting holistic strategies that reduce emissions while preserving the quality of visitor experiences and community livelihoods. In Jordan, recent policy developments attest to a growing commitment to this balance. The Ministry of Environment has launched a Roadmap for Sustainable Transport in the Tourism Sector 2026–2030, targeting a reduction of greenhouse gas emissions from tourist transport by approximately 31 percent compared with conventional operations, equivalent to nearly 9,600 tonnes of CO₂. This roadmap underscores the Kingdom’s commitment to cleaner air and sustainable travel experiences that protect ecosystems and cultural sites alike.

Artificial intelligence strengthens this agenda by enabling datadriven decisionmaking, predictive modeling, and realtime optimisation across multiple facets of the tourism ecosystem. At its core, AI allows policymakers, private operators, and tourists themselves to understand and mitigate environmental impacts with precision. For example, AI systems can analyze large datasets on visitor flows, weather patterns, and transportation usage to forecast hightraffic periods and suggest alternative routes or scheduling. By reducing congestion and optimising travel paths, these systems help minimize fuel consumption and emissions a crucial step for destinations that attract visitors yearround. While similar approaches are being applied in global contexts such as aviation optimization that uses AI to adjust flight routes and reduce fuel burn the principles are directly transferable to ground transportation within tourism destinations, enhancing sustainability at every stage of the visitor journey.

Beyond transportation, AI contributes to carbon footprint management and resource efficiency within hospitality and service operations. Smart energy management systems equipped with AI can monitor and regulate electricity and water usage in hotels and resorts in real time, substantially reducing waste. These systems use sensors and machine learning to adapt lighting, heating, and cooling based on occupancy patterns, ensuring that energy is used only when and where it’s needed. This not only lowers operating costs a key economic incentive for businesses in the tourism sector but also aligns with Jordan’s broader environmental objectives and green growth strategies. Such technology enhances guests’ experiences while actively lowering the ecological footprint of their stays, reinforcing the concept of green tourism through tangible innovation.

These applications of AI resonate with Jordan’s national digital transformation agenda, which envisions leveraging emerging technologies to drive economic diversification, public service efficiency, and innovation across key sectors, including tourism, transport, and energy. The country’s AI Strategy 20232027 emphasizes building technological capacity and integrating AI solutions to enhance service delivery and competitiveness. Such strategic frameworks are essential for embedding sustainability into digital transformation efforts, ensuring that AI adoption contributes not only to economic gains but also to environmental stewardship.

The integration of AI into tourism also offers economic and social cobenefits. Sustainable tourism initiatives create green jobs in areas like sustainable transport maintenance, renewable energy, environmental education, and digital services. By prioritizing lowcarbon infrastructure and smart systems, Jordan positions itself as a regional leader in climatesmart tourism, attracting investment and fostering innovation clusters that contribute to broader ecological and economic resilience. Moreover, AIenabled platforms can amplify local voices and knowledge by incorporating communitygenerated data into planning processes, ensuring that sustainability efforts reflect local priorities and cultural authenticity.

Jordan’s distinctive environmental and cultural assets are integral to its identity and global appeal. Technologies like AI do not replace the human experience at the heart of tourism, but rather enhance it by ensuring that visits today do not compromise the ecological legacy for tomorrow. As stakeholders from government, industry, civil society, and academia collaborate to implement carbonneutral pathways, they are charting a course that aligns clean air aspirations with actionable climate responses backed by data, innovation and shared commitment.

In a world increasingly shaped by climate urgency, Jordan’s efforts to harness AI for sustainable, carbonneutral tourism represent a hopeful model for other nations striving to reconcile economic development with environmental integrity. By embedding artificial intelligence into policy, practice, and public engagement, the Kingdom is not merely promoting its scenic destinations; it is advancing a future where tourism supports both the planet and its people.

Lubna Hanna Ammari is a specialist in educational technology