JITOA conducts events marketing course for professionals

The Event Marketing course is part of the seven courses organized by JITOA in cooperation with the George-Washington University to upgrade the skills of local professionals in Jordan's tourism sector.

'At 17, attendance was good,' says JITOA's Events Coordinator Mahmoud Al Arab. 'Participants included 1 tour operator, a wedding planner, a number of employees from even management companies, public relations firms and hotels.'

The course centered on how to market your events and using events as a tool to market your company, something that required a fully developed marketing strategy. Participants were reacquainted with different marketing issues that included marketing objectives, strategies and tactics, public relations, advertising, and implementation.

'The Event Marketing course is part of seven electives to obtain the Event Certification Management Program awarded by the George-Washington University's International Institute for Tourism Studies and by November participant would have completed all seven courses,' says Al Arab who was awarded the first Event Management Certificate last May.

In the last course, he attended as an observer and a JITOA coordinator to the sessions that were given by local instructors who were trained by member staff of the George-Washington University.

'Although three instructors are available, only two Sameera Qadoura and Amjad Sawalha gave the course on the first and second day, however the third instructor, Emad Deeb was required to sit on the sessions under the trainer-the-trainer program,' says Al Arab.

This is the third course in the seven electives while the first concentrated on best practices in event management and the second in event coordination.

'Through such programs, we at JITOA are providing the kind of certifications which are recognized internationally, and this is providing the necessary skills for those working in our industry, says Executive Director of the Jordan Inbound Tour Operator Association Ahmed Al Bashiti.

The certification is supported and financially-backed by the USAID/Jordan Product Development, Siyaha.