Amman – Iman Abu Kaoud
59,000 German tourists visited Jordan in 2012 Amman – Iman Abu Kaoud Jordanian Minister of Tourism and Antiquities, Nayef Humaidi al-Fayez, Tuesday received a delegation from the Committee on Tourism in German parliament (Bundestag). Al-Fayez highlighted the German\'s government\'s assistance in the field of antiquities, with German expedition in Germany working to preserve archaeological sites and carry out restoration work on some others, including the Winter Palace. According to ministry statistics, 59,000 German tourists visited Jordan in 2012, al-Fayez said. Klaus Brahmig, the Chairman of the Bundestag\'s Committee on Tourism, said Jordan was selected for the visit out of invitations by 50 countries, which he said affirms the strong ties between the two countries. \"Jordan is among the most important tourist countries,\" he said. Brahmig said media reports describing the nature of the region paint an incomplete picture and stressed that Jordan was safe for German tourists. He said his delegation was visiting Jordan to provide backing and to inspect the real Jordan. \"In reality, Jordan is a country that enjoys all the qualities necessary for vibrant tourism.\" German delegates proposed a visit to Germany by Jordanian businessmen in the tourism business to discuss Jordan\'s tourism sector. They also stressed the need to harness the media as an important marketing tool. Jordanian MP Amjad Salama pointed at US President Barack Obama\'s recent visit to Jordan as proof of security in the country. He said Jordan can offer different types of tourism that can be take advantage of in a manner that helps local communities prosper. The Director General of the Jordan Tourism Board, Abdelrazzaq Arabiyat, said the organisation takes part in the annual tourism exhibition, ITB Berlin, to ensure that Jordan remains on the radar in the German travel sector and increase the number of package holidays to Jordan.