The Business Development Center – BDC organized a tour for the Jordanian Travel and Tourism Agents Association and a number of tourism companies in the Iraq Al-Amir Women’s Association; one of the associations that benefited from the “Supporting Women-led Associations in the Local Community” project funded by the United Nations Children’s Fund (UNICEF) and implemented by the Business Development Center – BDC, to help provide job opportunities for women, local community, specifically females within the age  group 18-24, and the preservation of the cultural and heritage in the provision of traditional food and handicrafts.”

This visit aimed to improving and developing the quality of the tourism programs offered by Iraq Al-Amir Women’s Association to local and foreign tourists by exchanging with the experienced tourism officers who provided key tips to enhance the tourism services which will support in increasing internal and external tourism to the area and eventually will be reflected on increasing the association income and promote the surrounding community tourism areas . The tourism agents were introduced to the nature of the services and facilities of the association that were recently rehabilitated through the support provided by the project.

Issam Al-Shaer, Member of the Board of Directors of the Association of Tourism and Travel Agents, expressed his admiration for the association’s services, highlighting the importance of supporting such associations as part of their community service responsibilities, “Marketing the women led associations is in our top priorities as  it’s promoting the  Jordanian heritage within the tourism sector ; a key factor in economy development”

Al-Shaer added, ” the local community in the association area is a major influencer in promoting the tourism sites and enhancing the tourism sector. According regular network and interact with them is important to benefit from their positive support and contribution “

In the same context, Yusra Al-Hussami, head of the Iraq Amir Women’s Association, said, “This tourism association and agencies visit is an effective marketing tool that will be reflect positively on increasing the local and foreign tourists which will have an economic impact on the area and the surrounding community”

Ghaleb Hijazi, the General manager of Business Development Center -BDC, said, “The support provided by the United Nations Children’s Fund (UNICEF) to re-launch and renovation of Iraq Al-Amir Women’s Association to provide tourism services that create job opportunities for the local community came at the right time, especially with the implications of the Corona pandemic, where the rapid intervention Contribute to reviving the association and providing it with services that increase its competitiveness and market its services.

It is worth mentioning that the “Supporting Women-led Associations in the Local Community” project aims to empower women economically by creating job opportunities for females aged 18-24 in local communities through the implementation of productive projects held within associations that achieve their sustainability, as these projects and their nature depend on the need of the region and the local community from unavailable services implemented by these associations.