26/07/2026

Under the chairmanship of HRH Prince Mired bin Raad, Chief Chamberlain and President of the Higher Council for the Rights of Persons with Disabilities (HCD), and with the participation of H.E. Zeina Toukan, Minister of Planning and International Cooperation, and H.E. Imad Hijazin, Minister of Tourism and Antiquities, the technical mission of the "Inclusive Tourism and Employment Opportunities for Persons with Disabilities in Jordan" project concluded. The project is supported by the Jordan Growth MDTF and implemented in partnership with the World Bank, the Higher Council for the Rights of Persons with Disabilities, the Ministry of Tourism and Antiquities, the Ministry of Labour, and several national partners.

The closing meeting brought together representatives of national institutions, relevant partners, and the World Bank mission team to review the mission's key findings, discuss the proposed recommendations, and agree on the priorities for the next phase aimed at advancing inclusive tourism and improving accessibility across Jordan's tourism and heritage sites.

The meeting marked the conclusion of a technical mission conducted from 21–30 June 2026, which aimed to support the development of a more inclusive tourism sector, in line with the priorities of Jordan's Economic Modernization Vision and efforts to increase the economic participation of persons with disabilities.

Throughout the mission, a series of technical consultations were held with government entities, managers of tourism and archaeological sites, education and training institutions, and representatives of the private sector. The mission also endorsed accessibility assessments and improvement suggestions for six priority tourism and heritage sites, paving the way for the planning and implementation of on-the-ground interventions. It further supported the development of the National Inclusive Tourism Strategy and strengthened the readiness of national institutions to lead its implementation.

The mission also piloted Jordan's first national Master Trainers Programme on Inclusive Tourism. The programme was designed to contribute towards building a sustainable pool of national experts capable of transferring knowledge and applying accessibility and inclusive tourism standards across tourism and heritage sites. It focused on translating concepts into practical application by equipping participants with the knowledge and tools required to plan, implement, and manage accessibility interventions, thereby strengthening institutional sustainability and supporting long-term reform implementation.

The mission further strengthened collaboration with the private sector, which affirmed its commitment to applying inclusive tourism principles across tourism services.

The mission's outcomes underscore the importance of sustained collaboration among national institutions and development partners to embed the principles of inclusive tourism as a key driver of economic and social development while reinforcing Jordan's position as a more inclusive and sustainable tourism destination. They also reflect the country's continued shift from isolated accessibility initiatives toward a nationally owned inclusive tourism agenda, aligned with the objectives of the Economic Modernization Vision. Furthermore, they demonstrate Jordan's ongoing commitment to advancing the rights of persons with disabilities while building on the momentum generated by the Third Global Disability Summit 2025, which Jordan co-hosted, co-chaired, and organized alongside Germany.