‘Brain drain’ strains Jordan’s hospitality sector growth despite tourism boom

‘Brain drain’ strains Jordan’s hospitality sector growth despite tourism boom

AMMAN — Although the hospitality sector is experiencing a revitalisation with an unprecedented quantity of tourist footfall, the migration of skilled labour is threatening to compromise growth in the sector, say officials.

About 1.5 million tourists visited Jordan during the first quarter of this year, almost a 90 per cent increase compared with the same period of last year, according to a monthly report from the Ministry of Tourism and Antiquities.

Despite the significant jump in the sector’s profits and returns, the increase in tourism requires a highly skilled, motivated and “committed” workforce to manage the increasing demand on service providers.

However, highly skilled and qualified hospitality sector workers are not only resigning from their jobs locally, but leaving the country entirely, believed to be motivated by the promise of better wages abroad.

Ward is a 30-year-old Jordanian who used to work as a full-time travel guide in the Kingdom. In his previous job, Ward told The Jordan Times that his monthly earnings averaged to around JD700. However, Ward received a job in a neighbouring country, where his first job offer provided a monthly salary of JD2,100 as well as a reallocation allowance.

“At the end of the day, we all work for money. I