With The Ritz-Carlton, Amman set to open its doors in just a few short months, the hotel is already expected to play a key role in supporting the revival of the tourism sector, creating a greater draw for the luxury travel segment. The revival of the tourism sector is, of course, great news for the Kingdom: prior to the pandemic, the sector accounted for roughly 20 percent of Jordan’s GDP, making it a critical component of the national economy. As such, the industry tends to have a significant ripple effect: beyond job creation and industry revenues alone, tourism supports a number of adjacent industries and sectors as well, from transportation to entertainment and leisure, and beyond. And with The Ritz-Carlton, Amman Hotel’s upcoming arrival, all of these adjacent industries are expected to benefit in significant ways.
Job Creation and Capacity Development Already, The Ritz-Carlton, Amman has begun its recruitment efforts, kicking off mass-scale hiring across countless operational areas. In total, the hotel is expected to staff approximately 420 employees, while the entire project, including The Ritz-Carlton, Amman Residences, is expected to boast a team of more than 500.
But more than simply providing jobs, The Ritz-Carlton invests deeply in the training and capacity development of its team members. Training is both job-centric and broadly wide-reaching, including the development of technical skills, soft skills, management and leadership training, a deep dive into the brand legacy and its products and services, and quality and health and safety training.
The hotel will also be implementing Marriott International’s Voyage Global Leadership Development Program. This internationally renowned program carefully selects individuals who demonstrate exceptional leadership potential and provides them with a 12- to 18-month training in their area of specialization. This can include everything from culinary arts, room operations, and event management to human resources, finance, engineering, and revenue management.
Wider Impact across Diverse Sectors By providing immersive training and career opportunities both within and outside the traditional purview of hospitality, The Ritz-Carlton, Amman will ultimately work to elevate the capacities of the local workforce in a way that will ripple far beyond the travel and tourism sector.
But that’s not the only way the hotel’s operations will have a wider impact on economic development and growth: by engaging with local suppliers, The Ritz-Carlton, Amman is expected to support a wide range of businesses throughout the Kingdom, creating renewed demand for various goods and services. Additionally, with a large, distinctive range of dining and entertainment venues located on-site, The Ritz-Carlton, Amman is likely to raise the bar and positively impact these industries as well, helping revive the F&B sector by creating a sense of rekindled excitement and intrigue among diners.
Furthermore, with the Kingdom’s growing emphasis on MICE (meetings, incentives, conferences, and events) tourism as a path to an economic revival, the arrival of The Ritz-Carlton, Amman couldn’t be timelier. Business travel has been one of the tourism segments most strongly affected by the pandemic, and as it picks back up in 2022, countries across the region will be vying for attention as ideal MICE destinations: after all, MICE travel is the most profitable component of business travel, driving considerable spending across numerous sectors and industries. The Ritz-Carlton, Amman’s meeting and event spaces are slated to be among the best in the capital and could go a long way toward attracting regional and international businesses and organizations to consider Jordan as their next conference destination. And, of course, the hotel’s anticipated impact on the tourism sector can’t be overstated: by attracting discerning, well-heeled travelers from across the globe, The Ritz-Carlton, Amman will help elevate the Kingdom’s profile among the luxury travel segment, all the while bringing in foreign currency that will add considerable strength to the national economy.
Truly, the full reach and impact of the hotel’s upcoming launch will likely be much greater than can ever be known or measured. What’s clear is this: when an international icon like The Ritz-Carlton opens its doors in Jordan, it can only mean good things to come for the Kingdom and its people.
Press Release: Ritz-Carlton