Aqaba, May 17 (Petra) -- The Development and Employment Fund (DEF) will expand its financial credit facilities to support the tourism sector, aligning with national economic modernization goals to stimulate investment and entrepreneurship in high-growth industries, the fund’s chief said on Sunday.

Mansour Al-Wreikat, Director General of the DEF, announced during an operational visit to the fund's regional branch in Aqaba, part of a wider field tour to evaluate public service delivery and review financial support programs for local businesses.

Al-Wreikat stated during a meeting with community members that the coastal city of Aqaba possesses unique competitive advantages and vast investment opportunities, particularly within the tourism and hospitality sectors. This makes the region a highly viable ecosystem for small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs) capable of generating sustainable employment and driving local economic development, he added.

The director general emphasized the necessity of upgrading the quality of developmental and financial services provided by the fund. This strategy focuses directly on accelerating the economic empowerment of women and youth while backing innovative startup concepts and local manufacturing operations.

The visit included field inspections of several ongoing, DEF-funded ventures, which officials cited as successful models for micro-financing that have achieved institutional sustainability and market expansion.

Al-Wreikat also met with the branch management and administrative staff to review application intake procedures and credit monitoring mechanisms. He called for streamlining administrative bottlenecks and enhancing service metrics, urging staff to implement data-driven improvements derived from "mystery shopper" evaluation reports to optimize corporate performance and maximize client satisfaction.

The regulatory visit forms part of the fund's ongoing decentralized strategy to engage directly with field branches across Jordan's governorates to decentralize operations, encourage regional entrepreneurship, and spur job creation.

//Petra// AF

17/05/2026 23:11:19