Amazing things can happen when the tourism industry comes together, and The Travel Agent Next Door’s 10th Anniversary Conference in Jordan is one example that will surely be referenced for years to come.
Executing the theme of this year’s conference, “Trailblazers” almost poetically, the gathering is a first for the industry not only for being the largest conference for home-based agents, but for being the first one held in the Middle East.
Supplier one-on-ones operate in speed-dating mode. (Photo Credit: Marsha Mowers)
The sheer logistics of coordinating this conference is mind-blowing in itself; 300 agents, suppliers and staff are in attendance for a week-long agenda that’s filled with informative sessions, supplier one-on-one's, mixed in with once-in-a-lifetime experiences and events such as an authentic Bedouin dinner on the beach. This year’s sessions were re-jigged a bit to accommodate tours of the destination’s must-see iconic spots Petra, Wadi Rum and Agaba later this week.
TTAND agents enjoy an authentic Bedouin party. (Photo Credit: Marsha Mowers)
"Conference provides all of the attendees the opportunity to build new relationships and further solidify the ones in place that are crucial for success," said MJ Gatenby of Plan-It Travel. "The takeaway is our team business plan and direction is being executed with confidence because of the value of attending the annual TTAND conference. We can also incorporate new ideas because of the camaraderie and support that has been constantly available to our team. The TTAND conference always leaves us empowered to continue to strive and reach for the top and WOW, what a very unique destination for great things to happen."
But the overlying takeaway of the conference so far is that holding a conference of this size, in a country starving and so deserving of tourism dollars, has meaning and effect beyond the conference room.
Bringing nearly 300 agents to experience a destination certainly should help Jordan Tourism in reaching its goal of 7 million visitors by 2028.
“It's precedent setting and never, ever did I dream I would be talking to that many Canadians in Jordan, in one room,” Avril Matthews, Jordan Tourism Board Canada told TravelPulse during a Bedouin dinner on the beach at the Crowne Plaza Dead Sea Resort.
“Jordan is one of those countries that to sell it, you should visit first, because then you can speak from the heart when you're talking about it, which is what I do. We will see ROI on this event for years to come. To have solidified our relationship with TTAND and to meet so many more agents, it’s just been unbelievable. It is just amazing for tourism here.”
Jordan Tourism however isn’t the only one to benefit from the TTAND conference, so is the local community. Through its TTAND Gives Back program, in addition to a silent auction for their charity partner Pencil for Kids, every year agents bring donations they then give to a local organization as part of helping to leave the destination better than they found it.
TTAND staff with G Adventures' David Green and Safi Kitchen's Abd Jawad with the donations from TTAND agents (Photo Credit: Marsha Mowers)
This year agents brought items for children and youth for the Planeterra Foundation’s Safi Kitchen which were given to Abd Jawad, its manager. Safi kitchen serves more than just meals, it is a community hub for events and a driver of tourism to the area, through authentic farm and meal experiences that showcase Jordanian tradition and culture. By engaging in tourism activities, community members receive a much-needed income from the kitchen. It is like another Planeterra program Beit Khayrat Souf which we visited upon landing in Amman.
G Adventures' CEO Ayman with the women of Beit Khayrat Souf (Photo Credit: Marsha Mowers)
“Safi Kitchen is a site in a small village, it’s not well known. But with G Adventures, they bring many people to us, and it’s become a destination itself,” said Jawad. “People want to know about our culture, and they can see it for themselves there. We want to thank G Adventures for supporting us, it’s really amazing; they help make the change in our society.”
Malia Asfour, Managing Director, Jordan Tourism Board (Photo Credit: Marsha Mowers)
"We're very excited that this is our sustainability story," Malia Asfour, Managing Director, Jordan Tourism told the crowd at Wednesday night's TTAND Gala. "This is where we connect local communities with travellers, so I'm very excited that attendees are experiencing these because that's what tourism is about; connecting locally, diversifying traffic from places that have over tourism to places that are in need of tourism and can benefit from tourism dollars."
And that, as they say at TTAND, is a “win, win, win.”
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