News

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.