THE
cash-strapped Institute of Travel and Tourism has ditched Jordan as a
conference venue for 2003 after forcing a package of “unacceptable” demands on
the destination.
Furious Jordan
Tourist Board officials claimed they had no choice but to pull out of the
running for next summer’s event when ITT bosses insisted on return flight
prices of just £100 per person for delegates – typical fares to Jordan are
about £300.
The move
follows months of discussions between the two parties. Jordan had been signed
up to host the 2002 ITT conference in June, but this was switched to Galway
after the September 11 terrorist attacks.
ITT chairman
and chief executive Steven Freudmann promised the Institute would return to
Jordan for 2003 in a letter to tourism bosses in Amman. Embarrassingly, in his
speech in Galway he told delegates the ITT had a responsibility to the Middle
Eastern country and should go there to show the travel industry had faith in
the region.
JTB UK
director of tourism Sally Little said: “It is really disappointing. We couldn’t
really argue with why it was pulled last year, but we were promised the 2003
event instead.
“We’ve just
got a letter specifying certain conditions, including the £100-a-head flight.
No airline could do this.”
Privately,
some ITT members have suggested the country was deliberately put in an
impossible situation because the new ITT board is against travelling to the
Middle East. Even so, the ITT has taken thousands of pounds in sponsorship
money from Jordan.
“The ITT
made it clear it needed to make a profit and Jordan wasn’t going to attract the
numbers,” said one insider.
“If the ITT
pulled the destination for a second year running, it would have sent out the
wrong message to the trade. This way they can pin the blame on Jordan. The
demands on the JTB are unreasonable.”
Meanwhile,
Middle East operators have criticised the ITT for sending out the wrong signals.
Longwood
Holidays managing director Rafi Caplin said: “I’m dismayed. It is impossible to
get flights to Jordan for £100. Flights to the ABTA Convention in Cairo are at
least twice that price. Tour operators look to this type of event to give the
destination a bit of a boost.”
Hayes and
Jarvis head of product Dave Hamlet said: “Jordan is a wonderful destination
with a good range of quality hotels with good conference facilities.”
Despite
repeated attempts by Travel Weekly, ITT board members refused to comment about
the decision or claimed they were unaware of what was happening. Freudmann is
on holiday in Tenerife.
Crete
is now the favourite to host the 2003 event.