The USAID/Jordan Tourism Development Project II (Siyaha) is working with a joint venture between Visa Jordan Card Services (VJCS) and Specialized Technical Services (STS) to implement this project and a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) to this effect was signed this morning among the three parties. The VJCS-STS joint venture has developed an electronic payment service for Jordan, and the Siyaha-led initiative to introduce this system to the tourism sector will enable businesses to access new markets and increase sales and promotion.
“When it comes to travel and holiday planning, international travelers are spending more time and money online and this project will enable Jordanian tourism providers to be competitive and cater to customer preferences,” said Ibrahim Osta, USAID/Siyaha Chief of Party.
Ramzi Zeine, STS Executive Chairman said, "As the use of electronic payments continues to increase, PAYNET provides instant e-Payment services to meet the increasing flow of secure electronic transactions over the web. We believe this initiative will enable travelers and users of the internet to order and pay for their varied travel arrangements with utmost ease, reliability, and security.”
Radwan Darwish, VISA Jordan Cards Services, General Manager, explained, “e-Payment has become a day-to-day activity for many users and organizations, private and public, in Jordan and abroad. In light of this, we are pleased to sign this agreement with Siyaha. It will surely help leverage growth in the tourism sector and progressively, the Jordanian economy.”
An increasing number of travelers are using the internet not only as a means of searching and booking their travel and holidays, but also paying for them. Tourism bookings online represented $153 billion from the US and Europe alone in 2009 and they are growing globally. Therefore, it is imperative that tourism products and experiences in Jordan can be purchased online if the sector is to improve its competitiveness.
The electronic payment gateway developed by the VJCS-STS joint venture is called PAYNET and it enables secure real-time processing of electronic payments. PAYNET is based on partnerships established with the leading banks in Jordan. Before the introduction of this payment gateway, many tourism service providers in Jordan had to develop contractual agreements with international e-payment service providers. This poised a number of restraints including having to open accounts with non-local banks and paying high commission fees. Therefore, only a very small number of service providers have been able to offer their product or service for sale online.
Following on from today’s MoU, the Jordanian tourism sector will have access to PAYNET at a reduced commission rate and through the local banks they already deal with. As well as leading this effort, USAID/Siyaha will conduct a series of workshops in Amman, Petra and Aqaba to promote this new service and increase awareness about the benefits of using digital sales and marketing tools. USAID/Siyaha will also cover the costs for up to 30 tourism businesses to integrate the new payment gateway with their websites.
This project will enable Jordan’s tourism sector to increase their customers base, boost sales portfolio and augment profits as a result of offering the option of online payment.
About USAID/Jordan Tourism Development Project II
The five-year project (2008-2013) aims to promote Jordan’s competitiveness as an international tourism destination by establishing the proper institutional and regulatory framework that enables a private sector-driven approach, which will spur tourism growth while at the same time preserving the nation’s historic and natural treasures. It builds on the work of the first USAID/Jordan Tourism Development Project (2005-2008) and is expanding into new technical and geographical areas.
About PAYNET
PAYNE is a regional e-payment processing service, providing acquirers and merchants in the Middle East and North Africa with a flexible, scalable solution with nominal investment. PAYNET is owned and operated by a joint venture formed by VJCS) and STS. It provides secure payment processing services through multiple payment methods including Visa and MasterCard Credit/ Debit cards and direct bank account debits over the Internet, enabling several applications including e-commerce, e-government, electronic bill payment, donations, account top-ups and business to business applications, to mention a few.
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Autor(en)/Author(s): Khalid Irsheid
Quelle/Source: PR-inside, 13.06.2010
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