Ammon News - Forbes’ 2026 list of the Middle East’s most powerful tourism and travel leaders included four Jordanians among the 100 featured figures.

Ramzi Maaytah

Forbes ranked Ramzi Al-Maaytah, Director General of the Jordan Tourism Board, 39th on the list. He has been leading the board since December 2025.

In H1 2026, Jordan received over 3.1 million visitors, with tourism revenues reaching over $3.5 billion, Forbes said.

Before the current role, Maaytah was a director of economic development and investment, and sector strategist at the Qatar Investment Authority. He previously led the national tourism strategies for economic development in Jordan, Oman, the UAE, and Saudi Arabia.


Kamil Al-Awadhi

Forbes ranked Kamil Al-Awadhi, Regional Vice President for Africa and the Middle East at the International Air Transport Association (IATA), 62nd on the list.

Al-Awadhi assumed his current position in 2021. IATA acts as the main trade association supporting aviation and shaping industry regulations.

Al-Awadhi represents IATA in 68 countries, overseeing 65 airlines across the MEA region from Amman. In 2025, IATA reported that the Middle East delivered the highest profit margins for airlines globally, generating $7.2 billion in net profit.

Al-Awadhi previously served as CEO of Kuwait Airways.


Samer Majali

Samir Majali, Vice Chairman and CEO of Royal Jordanian (RJ), ranked 78th on the list.

Majali joined RJ and assumed his current role in 2021, overseeing operations across five subsidiaries. In 2025, RJ carried 4.4 million passengers across over 45 destinations and added 19 new aircraft as part of its plan to double its fleet size to 40 units by 2028.

That year, it reported $1.9 billion in total assets and $1.2 billion in revenues.

RJ also increased its ownership in Jordan Flight Catering Company to 51%, partnered with GE Aerospace to adopt its flight operations software, and secured a $250 million syndicated bank loan led by Arab Bank, according to Forbes.


Ahmad Abu Ghazaleh

Forbes ranked Ahmad Abu Ghazaleh, CEO and Vice Chairman of the Board of Directors of International Wings Group, 95th on the list.

Abu Ghazaleh joined IWG in 2003 as vice chairman and CEO.

He also leads the group’s subsidiaries: the Royal Jordanian Air Academy, Arab Wings, Queen Noor Aviation University College, and Gulf Wings.

In 2025, Arab Wings and Gulf Wings had over 2,000 exclusive travel clients.

IWG operated a fleet of 22 aircraft and conducted over 110 medivac flights between September 2022 and January 2026.

It flies to over 200 destinations across the MEA, Europe, Asia, and North America. Abu Ghazaleh also serves as the chairman of United Cables Industries Co., and founder and executive vice chairman of Abdali Hospital.

He sits on boards of Del Monte Corporation, Queen Rania Foundation, Endeavor Jordan, the American Center of Oriental Research, Jordan Investment Board, and the University of Jordan’s Center for Strategic Studies.