JORDAN TOURISM HACKATHON 2021

The Jordan Tourism was held on the 17^th – 18^th of January, 2021 and repeated on the 20^th – 21^st of January, 2012 to offer opportunities to young entrepreneurs to build their capacities, engage and innovate new prototypes leading to innovative projects and startups in the tourism sector in Jordan.

Hackathon Jordan 2021 is implemented by the Jordanian Action for the Development of Enterprise Project (“JADE”), Jordan University for Science and Technology (JUST) and co-funded by the European Union. The non-profit Tamkeen for Sustainable Tourism Development (TASUD) ran the Tourism Hackathon for Jordan 2021, in line with its mandate for a more resilient tourism sector in Jordan, in response to COVID-19 adverse impact on tourism, with a vision to lead sustainable tourism development and green economy in Jordan.

During the two 2-day workshops, the training covered entrepreneurships and sustainable tourism development, business planning, canvas business models, marketing, pitching skills, grouping, preparation for presentations, presenting and pitching. Participants presented their ideas in areas of traditional tourism; alternative tourism (eco-tourism, agro-tourism, cultural and heritage tourism, religious tourism, adventures tourism – hiking, climbing, camping) and related sectors such as transport and tourism, environment and tourism, agriculture and tourism. These presentations, in line with the goals of the hackathon were creative and involved innovative solutions using technology; green solutions incorporating eco-friendly measures, clean alternative energy, energy saving, green solutions in building, preservation of nature, saving water, recycling, using natural material and inclusiveness (gender, youth, minorities, and persons with disabilities).

The trainers and jury included: Dr. Suzy Hatough Boran, Ms. Reem Bsaiso, Dr. Ayman Harb, Dr. Fawaz Al-Hammad and Engineer Sudki Hamdan. Following a carefully prepared terms and scorecards, the winning projects of the second workshop in order of ranking were:

Dibeen Matrixes by Anas Ayasrah and team Ammar Otoom, Galeb Ahmad, Darb Al Safsafa Association and Women’s Association of Sakeb (first place); Base Camp by Shirine Nababteh; Training Tour Guides & Sustainable Eco-Tourism by Dr. Ahmad Al-Shreideh; Philodemus Camping & Hiking by Ahmad Al Omari and Cycling Jordan by team: Sari Masri and Ahmad Saheb.

Winning projects of the first workshop were: Dalilak by Lina Al-Rababah and Rashid Khleifat (first place), Beit Aziz by Laith Abu Samen and Organic Farming by Ayman Abdul-Kareem.

Youth of Jordan are becoming aware of the importance of the preservation of nature and creating new income generating ideas that serve local communities and preserves the environment at the same time, while promoting healthy lifestyles, organic farming, adventures and agrotourism, among other innovative initiatives and recreational experiences.