Fares Braizat

Jordan has long regarded tourism as an important economic sector. It is time to think bigger. Tourism should no longer be viewed simply as a service industry -as important as it is- but as a strategic national industry, one that deserves the same long-term planning, investment and policy priority afforded to education, health, ICT, mining, pharmaceuticals, renewable energy and advanced tech-manufacturing.

The economic case is compelling. Tourism directly employs nearly 60,000 Jordanians while supporting the livelihoods of more than 300,000 others through its supply chain in transportation, agriculture, food production, handicrafts, retail, construction, culture and hospitality. It contributes more than 13 per cent of Jordan's GDP, generates billions of dinars in foreign exchange, and creates economic opportunities in virtually every governorate. Tourism also has one of the highest economic multipliers in the Jordanian economy: Every dinar spent by a visitor circulates through hotels, restaurants, transport, farms, cultural industries, retailers and local communities. Few sectors combine employment, exports, regional development, investment attraction and broad-based economic spillovers as effectively.

Yet tourism's greatest contribution, as a labour-intensive industry, is not measured by visitor arrivals alone. It lies in its ability to become a long-term engine of employment, investment, social stability and inclusive economic growth, particularly in underdeveloped areas.

Like every successful industry, tourism requires a durable competitive advantage. Jordan already possesses one that cannot be replicated. It is one of the world's great sacred landscapes.

Within its borders lie approximately fifty-two Islamic heritage sites of profound significance to Muslims and nearly ninety Christian heritage sites associated with the prophets, the ministry of Jesus, John the Baptist, the early Church and the dawn of Christianity. Few countries possess such a remarkable concentration of sacred history shared by two of the world's largest religions.

Together, Christianity and Islam are followed by approximately 4.6 billion people—well over half of humanity. This is not merely a tourism market; it is a global community connected to Jordan through faith, history and spiritual identity.

Jordan's long-term tourism strategy should therefore move beyond promoting individual attractions and embrace a larger national vision: positioning Jordan as a Holy Land for Muslims and Christians, a living geography of faith whose significance spans both religions.

Successful tourism industries sell narratives before they sell destinations. Switzerland evokes the Alps. Japan and France sell culture. Egypt embodies ancient civilisation. The United States offers extraordinary natural and cultural diversity. Jordan has the rare privilege of bringing all of these dimensions together: Ancient civilisations, magnificent landscapes, biblical history, Islamic heritage, living traditions and monuments that continue to shape the cultural and spiritual imaginations of billions of people.

The narrative should begin where every generation begins: With the family. If every Muslim and Christian mother knows that Jordan forms part of her faith's sacred geography, that knowledge will naturally be passed to her children. Such intergenerational awareness creates something that no marketing campaign can purchase: a lifelong aspiration to visit the land that helped shape one's spiritual heritage. Over time, pilgrimage becomes more than a journey; it becomes a family tradition transmitted across generations.

Faith tourism also offers an important economic advantage. Pilgrims are generally more resilient than leisure travellers during periods of regional uncertainty. While conventional tourism often contracts sharply in response to geopolitical tensions, pilgrimage is driven by enduring spiritual motivations and long-term religious aspirations. This makes faith tourism one of the most stable segments of the global travel industry. It can also reduce the damaging effects of seasonality by creating steadier visitor flows throughout the year.

Industrializing tourism therefore means far more than expanding airports or building hotels. It means investing in heritage conservation, pilgrimage infrastructure, interpretation centres, museums, digital storytelling, international partnerships, education and global faith-based engagement. More importantly, it means launching a Jordan Faith Economy 2050 strategy. Which should be an integrated economic cluster built around pilgrimage, archaeology, hospitality, faith-related conferences, cultural industries, wellness, local crafts, research, heritage conservation and innovation.

Countries become prosperous by industrialising sectors where they possess enduring comparative advantages. Jordan's sacred geography is one such advantage. The opportunity before us is much larger than increasing visitor numbers. It is to build a resilient national industry capable of generating investment, creating year-round employment, strengthening local communities, and ensuring that future generations of Muslims and Christians grow up knowing that part of their spiritual inheritance lies in Jordan. Hence, Jordan's greatest untapped natural resource is not buried beneath its soil. It is written across its sacred landscape.