IIPT Mourns the Death of H.E. Akel Biltaji

IIPT Mourns the Death of H.E. Akel Biltaji

IIPT Advisory Board Member

H.E. Akel Beltaj, former Jordan Minister of Tourism and Antiquities, Advisor to HM King Abdulah II; former Mayor of Amman and an esteemed member of the IIPT International Advisory Board since the IIPT Global Summit in Amman, Jordan, 2000, lost his battle with COVID-19 on Sunday, February 28. H.E. Akel Biltaji was born in Gaza in February 1941, he was 80 years old.

Deep regrets were shared by many senior members of the global travel and tourism industry: Dr. Taleb Rifai, former Secretary General of the World Tourism Organization (UNWTO) and Chairman of the IIPT International Advisory Board, called H.E. Biltaji a wonderful man and close friend. Deep regrets were also shared by Cuthbert Ncube, Chairman of the African Tourism Board; Juergen Steinmetz, founder of the World Tourism Network; Alain St. Ange, former Seychelles Minister of Tourism and others.                                   

His Excellency Akel Biltaji was employed by Royal Jordanian Airlines for 28 years rising to senior management positions in different capacities, the last of which was senior vice president. His Majesty the Late King Hussein appointed him in 1997 as the country’s Minister of Tourism and Antiquities. He continued to serve in this portfolio under His Majesty King Abdullah II and in this capacity, hosted the 2000 IIPT Global Summit on Peace through Tourism with His Majesty King Abdullah II as Honorary Patron.

He subsequently was Chief Commissioner to the newly declared Region of the Aqaba Special Economic Zone Authority and in 2004, became Special Advisor to His Majesty King Abdullah II on Tourism Promotion, Foreign Direct Investment and Country Branding. In November 2005, he was also appointed as a member of the House of Senate, where he served as Chairman of the Tourism and Heritage House Committee, and member of the Foreign Relations and Education Committees.

n 2013, while with IIPT dedicating Victoria Falls as an IIPT International Peace Park on the first day of the UN World Tourism Organization General Assembly, he received a phone call notifying him that he had been appointed the Mayor of Amman and served in that capacity until 2017.

H.E. Akel Biltaji personifies the diversity and religious harmony of Jordan: born in Gaza, raised a Quaker, married a Muslim and serving his country in several high level capacities including as Mayor of the capital city of Amman.

His Awards include: Highest Jordanian Orders; Austrian Grand Gold Merit; French Grand Maitre de la Legion d’Honeur; Royal Norwegian Order of Merit; French Commandeur de la Legion d’Honeur ; Gran Cruz, Spain; Ordre National du Mérite.

Akel will be missed. May he rest in peace