* More than 1.1 million tourists visited Jordan last year, according to Ministry of Tourism reports and the tourism sector yielded about $700 million in 1995. These figures are set to increase this year and the government is again talking about "activating" the role of the private sector in building and operating new tourism projects.
While such statements have been made by other governments many times before, we have a feeling that this time they mean what they say. For a very simple reason, the government cannot finance any of the mega projects for tourism such as the development of the Dead Sea region. It needs private investments. And for foreign and local partners to commit, legislative and infrastructural reforms are past due.
It is here where the government responsibility lies and for it to involve the private sector it must, as the American saying goes, put its money where its mouth is. A number of investors have expressed their desire to invest in Dead Sea tourism projects, including the building of resorts, health farms and luna parks. But they cannot take the risk when the area lacks the basic infrastructure such as electricity, sewage, roads and water.
These projects need a lot of money and the Amman Economic Summit, which was held last November, was supposed to get the necessary funding from countries and regional banks. But political uncertainities and squabbling, shortage of funds among other reasons have made it very difficult to translate the ambitious infrastructural projects that Jordan proposed during the summit into reality.
The government is recognizing that tourism is among the most reachable "fruits" of Middle East peace. Notwithstanding the setback this sector has suffered lately as a result of the crisis in the peace negotiations and agreement implementation, long-term prospects are indeed lucrative.
But as the government is looking for international investors and financiers, it must move swiftly to remove remaining legislative obstacles. It should also adopt concrete steps to make the Jordanian private sector a major partner and a leader in tourism development. The question is will this government collect its efforts and show its determination to change traditional views of its role in the tourism sector?
* Political talk shows are not new to Jordan. JTV and Radio Jordan have been presenting such programs for years. All are tailored along American talk shows-minus the zest! The latest to join a line of political talk shows is the bilingual Ahdath and Shakhsiat (Events and Personalities) presented by Dr Samir Mutaweh every Monday. The show hosts journalists and officials who question important figures, often via satellite, such as former Israeli Prime Minister Shimon Peres while, as pundits usually do, stating their own views and beliefs for the record! But unlike other talk shows, this one is a combination of "Meet the Press", "This Week with David Brinkley", "Larry King Live", "The McLaughlin Group", "Crossfire" and "Good Morning America" put together and all packed into one hour.
The result is spaghetti journalism! The last thing we need today is to send a barrage of sound vibes to an already confused viewer. What the program ends up doing, through its eager host who wears too many hats for one show, is to leave the viewer wondering about who was being interviewed and who was asking the questions. Pity we don't have program ratings in this country.
Which brings us to a spreading phenomenon here in Jordan where journalists become the subject of their own stories-pontificating about this government policy or that one, showering praise here and distributing blame there. Not that this is unconventional, but it would seem a little disparaging, and sometimes almost condescending, that instead of investigating public minds and public issues, journalists are getting busy echoing their views and ideas.
Dr Mutaweh should be congratulated for trying to present a quality current affairs program. But great ideas are often simple ones. We suggest that he stops pontificating and starts asking plain questions in one language only. That should make his program a more professional one.