Jordan Society of Tourism & Travel Agents JSTA

What Jordan Society of Tourism & Travel Agents JSTA does

The Jordan Society of Tourism & Travel Agents (JSTA, جمعية مكاتب وشركات السياحة والسفر الأردنية) is a non-profit professional association established in 1965 under Article 22 of Jordan's Social Associations and Organizations Law No. 7 of 1965 and governed by System Regulation No. 115 of 2016. Headquartered in Amman at Gardens Street, the association represents more than 700 licensed travel and tourism offices operating in inbound tourism, outbound tourism, domestic tourism, religious tourism (Hajj and Umrah), and aviation ticketing. JSTA operates as the official intermediary between these member agencies and Jordan's regulatory apparatus, most prominently the Ministry of Tourism and Antiquities, performing licensing facilitation, office inspection, complaints adjudication through its Disciplinary Council, and pursuit of unlicensed operators.

The association's product portfolio spans core member services including membership card issuance (which grants airport and border access), group health insurance through Al-Ehli Insurance, professional liability insurance via Arab-European Insurance Group (most recently expanded through a 2026 cooperation agreement with Newton Insurance), and outbound traveler insurance with a JOD 10,000 minimum medical coverage threshold. Its information services include a directory of licensed travel offices, tourism statistics, tourist site entry fees, and restricted/unrestricted nationality lists. JSTA also delivers training programs in partnership with IATA (including NewGen ISS workshops) and disseminates regulatory content to members via a bilingual Arabic/English website, an internal portal (intra.jsta.org.jo), RSS feeds, Facebook, and YouTube.

JSTA's revenue model is subscription-based membership dues paid by licensed travel agencies, augmented by service fees, training revenue, and likely commissions from collective insurance arrangements — exact figures are not publicly disclosed. Its go-to-market is community-led: the association acquires members through regulatory representation, advocacy, training programs, networking events, and bundled insurance/marketing services rather than commercial sales. Strategic partnerships span government (Ministry of Tourism, ASEZA, PDTRA, Department of Antiquities, Jordan Chamber of Commerce), international development agencies (USAID, GIZ, JICA), academic institutions (Amon College of Applied Sciences, Tunisian University for Travel Agencies and Tourism), and the technology/GDS ecosystem (Sabre, Amadeus, IATA, Royal Jordanian).

Name

Jordan Society of Tourism & Travel Agents JSTA

Legal name

جمعية مكاتب وشركات السياحة والسفر الأردنية

Website

https://jsta.org.jo

Company type

Private

Founded year

1965

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

11–50 employees

Short description

The Jordan Society of Tourism & Travel Agents (JSTA) is a non-profit professional association founded in 1965 that represents 700+ licensed travel and tourism agencies in Jordan, providing regulatory representation, licensing facilitation, group insurance, training, and complaint adjudication through statutory authority under Jordanian law.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Headquarters

HQ city

Amman

HQ country

Jordan

HQ region

Middle East

Offices1 record

Markets served

GTM type

B2B

Offering type

Services

Cost components

Personnel, Operations, Technology or R&D, Marketing or Sales, Others

Revenue model

1. Membership Dues: JSTA generates revenue through annual membership dues paid by licensed travel agencies and tourism companies. Members receive membership cards, access to the member portal, and various services including training, insurance programs, and regulatory representation.

Go-to-market motion1 record

Distribution channels1 record

Marketing channels4 records

Core offering

JSTA is a professional non-profit association representing licensed travel agencies and tourism companies in Jordan. It provides member services including membership card issuance, collective health and professional liability insurance programs, outbound traveler insurance documentation, regulatory advocacy, licensing facilitation, office inspection and monitoring, training programs, tourism statistics, and directories of licensed travel offices.

Product overview

Jordan Society of Tourism & Travel Agents (JSTA) operates as a professional association serving licensed travel and tourism offices in Jordan. The organization provides a comprehensive portfolio of member services including membership card issuance, health insurance, professional liability insurance, and outbound travel insurance. JSTA also performs regulatory functions through office inspections, complaints handling, and monitoring of unlicensed operators. The association maintains directories of licensed travel offices and provides tourism information services including statistics, site entry fees, and nationality restrictions. Marketing support, member advocacy, community awareness, and training programs round out the service offerings. The association is governed by a board of directors and operates through several specialized committees addressing incoming tourism, outgoing tourism, religious tourism, domestic tourism, air transport, and complaints resolution.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Products and services

• Membership Card Issuance (إصدار بطاقات العضوية) Issues membership cards for owners and employees of licensed travel and tourism offices. The card serves as proof of office affiliation with the association and enables access to airports, border crossings, and tourist sites.
• Group Health Insurance (التأمين الصحي) Provides group health insurance services for member travel and tourism offices and their employees through insurance partner companies (Al-Ehli Insurance, Newton Insurance).
• Professional Liability Insurance (تأمين المسؤولية المهنية) Provides Public Liability and Professional Indemnity Insurance in partnership with Arab-European Insurance Group for member travel agencies.
• Outbound Traveler Insurance (وثيقة تأمين المسافرين للخارج) Issues travel insurance documents for outbound travelers with minimum coverage of 10,000 Jordanian Dinars for medical emergencies and travel risks.
• Office Inspection (الكشف الحسي على المكاتب) Conducts physical inspections of new travel and tourism offices to verify readiness and compliance with licensing standards.
• Marketing Services (التسويق) Promotes Jordanian tourism products domestically and internationally in cooperation with member offices and partners including the Tourism Promotion Authority (Visit Jordan).
• Member Advocacy (مناصرة الاعضاء) Advocates for member interests by coordinating with official authorities and stakeholders on issues affecting travel offices.
• Community Awareness (التوعية المجتمعية) Raises awareness about the importance of tourism and protects tourist sites and heritage in Jordan.
• Monitoring and Inspection (دور الرقابة والتفتيش) Inspects travel and tourism offices to ensure compliance with laws and regulations, and pursues unlicensed offices.
• Employee Experience Authentication (مصادقة خبرات موظفي المكاتب السياحية) Authenticates work experience certificates for employees of travel and tourism offices and maintains employee records.
• Travel Office Regulation (تنظيم أعمال مكاتب السياحة والسفر) Regulates travel and tourism office operations, establishes professional standards, and resolves disputes between members.
• Disciplinary Council (المجلس التأديبي) Reviews violations by members of professional obligations under the tourism law, the association's by-law No. 115 of 2016, and the professional code of conduct, and handles member violations of contractual obligations toward third parties.
• Tourism Office Complaints (شكاوي مكاتب السياحة) Handles complaints against tourism offices through the Complaints Committee in cooperation with the Ministry of Tourism.
• Working Committees (اللجان العاملة) Includes Complaints Committee, Incoming Tourism Committee, Outgoing Tourism Committee, Religious Tourism Committee, Domestic Tourism Committee, and Air Transport Committee (BSP).
• Licensed Travel Offices Directory (مكاتب السياحة المرخصة) Directory of licensed travel and tourism offices in Jordan with contact information and categories, including inbound, outbound, domestic, religious tourism, and aviation ticketing.
• Tourism Statistics (الاحصاءات السياحية) Provides tourism statistics including tourist numbers, accommodation distribution, and visitor demographics.
• Tourist Site Entry Fees (رسوم دخول المواقع السياحية) Provides information on entry fees for tourist sites including Petra, museums, and nature reserves.
• Restricted and Unrestricted Nationalities List (قائمة الجنسيات المقيدة وغير المقيدة) Lists countries requiring prior approval (restricted) and those not requiring approval (unrestricted) for travel to Jordan.

Segments2 records

Ideal customer profiles1 record

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Integration2 records

Partnerships

22 partnerships are on record, tiered major, minor and core.

• Newton Insurance (Jordan International Insurance)majorStrategic or Co-development Partner · 4 June 2026Signed cooperation agreement to provide health insurance services to association members and staff. Newton Insurance is a public shareholding company established in 1996 with capital of 18,150,000 Jordanian Dinars.
• Amon College of Applied SciencesmajorStrategic or Co-development Partner · 5 April 2026Educational institution partnership for human resource development in tourism. JSTA signed MOU to facilitate practical training for students and improve workforce skills in the tourism sector.
• Royal JordanianmajorStrategic or Co-development Partner · 19 August 2023Signed MOU for cooperation in tourism and travel services development.
• Tunisian University for Travel Agencies and TourismminorStrategic or Co-development Partner · 21 June 2023International academic partnership for tourism education and training exchange.
• Ministry of Tourism and Antiquities (Jordan)coreStrategic or Co-development PartnerPrimary government partner for regulating and developing Jordan's tourism sector. JSTA coordinates with the ministry on licensing, inspection, legislation, and tourism promotion initiatives.
• Tourism Promotion Authority (Visit Jordan)coreStrategic or Co-development PartnerNational tourism promotion body. JSTA collaborates on marketing campaigns and promotional activities for Jordan's tourism product.
• Department of AntiquitiescoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerGovernment body overseeing archaeological sites. JSTA works with the department on visitor fees and access to heritage sites.
• Aqaba Special Economic Zone Authority (ASEZA)majorStrategic or Co-development PartnerAuthority governing the Aqaba economic zone. JSTA collaborates on tourism development and promotion of the Red Sea destination.
• Royal JordanianmajorStrategic or Co-development PartnerNational airline carrier. JSTA signed a memorandum of understanding for cooperation in tourism and travel services.
• Al-Ehli Insurance Company (Solidarity)coreStrategic or Co-development PartnerInsurance partner providing group health insurance programs for member agencies and their employees through the association's scheme.
• Newton Insurance (Jordan International Insurance)majorStrategic or Co-development PartnerInsurance partner providing health insurance services to association staff, board members, and general assembly members.
• USAID JordanmajorStrategic or Co-development PartnerInternational development agency providing technical assistance and capacity building programs for Jordan's tourism sector in collaboration with JSTA.
• GIZ (German International Cooperation)majorStrategic or Co-development PartnerGerman development organization working with JSTA on tourism sector development projects and training programs.
• JICA (Japan International Cooperation Agency)majorStrategic or Co-development PartnerJapanese development agency conducting workshops and cooperation programs with JSTA for tourism sector development.
• Jordan Chamber of CommercemajorStrategic or Co-development PartnerBusiness chamber providing commercial cooperation and networking opportunities for member agencies.
• Royal Society for the Conservation of Nature (RSCN)minorStrategic or Co-development PartnerNature conservation body managing protected areas. JSTA coordinates on nature tourism and eco-tourism development.
• Arab-European Insurance GroupcoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerInsurance partner providing professional liability insurance (Public Liability and Professional Indemnity Insurance) for member travel agencies.
• Jordan Hotel AssociationminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerSector association representing hotels, cooperating on integrated tourism services and sector advocacy.
• Jordan Restaurant AssociationminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerSector association for restaurant tourism, cooperating on culinary tourism development.
• Jordan Tour Guides AssociationminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerAssociation of certified tour guides, cooperating on tour guide services and standards.
• Ministry of Endowments and Islamic AffairscoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerGovernment ministry overseeing Hajj and Umrah pilgrimages. JSTA coordinates on religious tourism regulation and services.
• Petra Development and Tourism Region Authority (PDTRA)majorStrategic or Co-development PartnerAuthority managing the Petra archaeological site. JSTA collaborates on visitor services and tourism promotion for Petra.

Scale indicators1 record

Recent moves6 records

Expansion highlights5 records

Others

• IATA (International Air Transport Association): Already a JSTA partner providing IATA NewGen ISS workshops and BSP training. While not a competitor for travel-agency membership, IATA is the highest-leverage standards and training body that JSTA interfaces with, and a key ecosystem participant for the association's member services.

Regional players

• Tunisian University for Travel Agencies and Tourism: Tunisia's national travel-agency professional body, explicitly identified as a JSTA international academic partnership. Directly comparable in mandate within a peer North African tourism market and geography-adjacent economy.

Broad incumbents

• World Travel & Tourism Council (WTTC): Global umbrella body for the travel and tourism industry that engages governments on policy. Less directly comparable as a member-driven trade body, but represents the same constituency that JSTA serves at a global level.
• Cruise Lines International Association (CLIA): Global trade association for the cruise industry, providing advocacy, training, and member services. Less directly comparable given the cruise-only focus, but representative of the broader pattern of sector-specific travel trade associations.
• United Nations World Tourism Organization (UNWTO): UN agency promoting responsible and sustainable tourism. Provides policy guidance and standards that inform national bodies like JSTA; comparable in advocacy and standards-setting remit but at an international government level.

Direct peers

• Association of British Travel Agents (ABTA): The UK's leading travel association, providing regulatory representation, financial protection schemes, and member services to UK travel agents. Comparable to JSTA in its role as the national trade body interfacing with government and the licensing regime.
• American Society of Travel Advisors (ASTA): The US national professional association for travel advisors, providing advocacy, training, certification, and member services. It is the closest international analogue to JSTA in terms of mandate — representing licensed travel agencies before government and providing operational services to members.
• Jordan Restaurant Association: Jordan's national association for restaurants, identified as a JSTA partner. Comparable in structure as a Jordanian sector association focused on a specific tourism-adjacent vertical.
• Jordan Tour Guides Association: Jordan's national association for certified tour guides, identified as a JSTA partner. Represents an adjacent travel-sector occupational group with comparable member-services, standards, and regulatory advocacy roles.
• Jordan Hotel Association: Jordan's national association for hotels and lodging establishments, explicitly named as a JSTA partner. Operates under a similar sector-association model representing a different vertical of the Jordanian tourism industry.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat4 records

Key risks5 records

Key highlights7 records

Customer concentration

• Xfacebook.com/jsta.org.jo
• YouTubeyoutube.com/channel/UChHNLTzN0j5hD0g44PSidXg
• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/jsta-jordan

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles10 records

Funding overview

Funding rounds

Investors

Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

M&A

Investments

M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

Frequently asked questions about Jordan Society of Tourism & Travel Agents JSTA