Case Study Library

• Destination & Tourism Partnerships

• Creative Campaigns & Digital Content

• Crisis Management & Comms

• Event Marketing & Trade Shows

• Product & Brand Development

Portfolio

With 15 years in travel and tourism, I’ve collaborated with great teams, built brands, increased market share, expanded audiences, managed co-branded partnerships, and directed marketing plans and campaigns. Here are a few highlights.

Case Study:

My Jordan Journey

Client: Jordan Tourism Board (North America)
Timeframe: 2012 – Present
Role: Digital Marketing Strategist & Brand Lead

Background:

Digital Brand Birth During Crisis

Pioneered Jordan’s first digital tourism brand by:
Empowering Real Travelers: Hosted 12 micro-influencers (10K-50K followers) with authentic storytelling briefs
Hashtag Ecosystem: Created #MyJordanJourney + niche tags
Anti-Brochure Content: Interactive maps with real-time visitor check-ins

Challenge

In 2011, at the onset of the Arab Spring, global headlines painted a one-dimensional narrative about the Middle East. While Jordan remained safe, its tourism image suffered collateral damage. The North American public was hesitant, misinformed, and unaware of the country’s true richness.

Vision

Instead of reacting with defense, we decided to lead with storytelling. The goal: humanize the destination, generate social proof, and create a movement of organic ambassadors who would speak about their experiences in Jordan louder than any ad ever could. That’s how My Jordan Journey was born — the first digital brand launched by Jordan Tourism Board in North America.

Strategy & Execution

1. Digital Transformation & Brand Development

• Created Jordan Tourism Board's first-ever digital marketing ecosystem in North America.

• Developed a new consumer-facing sub-brand, My Jordan Journey, under the Visit Jordan umbrella.

• Positioned it as a community-driven platform celebrating real visitor stories, visual content, and social media campaigns.

2. Social Media Domination & Community Building

• Set up and managed in-house social media operations, ending reliance on external agencies.

• Launched campaigns in English and Spanish for U.S., Canadian, and Mexican audiences.

• Led content strategy, engagement, and influencer partnerships, increasing community size by 250%.

Hashtag Campaigns:

• #MyJordanJourney

• #LearnJordan

• #UnearthingJordan

• #ViveJordania / #MeVoyaJordania / #ConoceJordania

3. User-Generated Content + Press & Influencer Trips

• Hosted 12+ bloggers and influencers across North America, resulting in:

  • 65+ articles and blog posts

  • Over 29 million impressions

  • $62,000+ in earned media value in just six months

• Curated user stories and visuals as a trust-building mechanism, making real traveler voices the hero.

4. Partnerships & Market Activation

• Developed new co-op marketing campaigns with key trade partners and airlines.

• Conducted FAM trips, educational seminars, and webinars to train the trade and media on selling Jordan.

• Positioned the U.S. as the #1 tourism source market to Jordan by blending strategy with local relevance.

5. Data-Driven Campaign Optimization

• Monitored analytics to tweak content, messaging, and ad strategies across email, Facebook, Twitter, and beyond.

• Used audience insights to build lookalike campaigns, boost lead gen, and increase conversion rates.

Results

• Built a thriving online community and increased positive sentiment around Jordan in North America.

• Generated millions of impressions, high engagement, and measurable ROI through integrated marketing campaigns.

• Surpassed annual goals for awareness, engagement, and conversions — even amid regional instability.

• Cemented My Jordan Journey as a best-in-class example of tourism destination branding post-crisis.

Included in download:

Screenshots and embeds of the most high-performing posts
Video campaigns
Before/after metrics
Newsletter/email samples
Press mentions

Case Study:

Mexico Market Entry via Digital Marketing Strategies

Visita Jordania MX

Client: Visita Jordania
Role: Director of Mexico Market Development
Years Active: 2012–Present
Market Focus: Mexico and Latin America

Challenge

Jordan had zero brand recognition in Mexico, no Spanish-language marketing, and minimal budget. Samer had to overcome language barriers, internal biases, and a lack of market infrastructure to start from ground zero.

Objective

• Launch Jordan’s first official market presence in Mexico.

• Increase brand awareness and inbound travel despite regional conflict.

• Build trade trust and local partnerships with minimal resources.

Solution

• Created Visita Jordania MX, Jordan’s first Spanish-language destination brand.

• Proposed and secured initial $25K pilot budget to launch Mexico entry strategy.

• Prioritized relationship-building with trade partners, leveraging the Honorary Consul and personal outreach to secure FAM trips and roadshows.

• Gradually scaled the initiative over three years to a $200K annual budget.

• Launched bilingual marketing campaigns and social media strategy tailored to Mexican traveler personas: religious, family-oriented, adventurous.

• Built in-country team of local consultants, creatives, and media partners.

• Coordinated high-impact press trips with major outlets (NYT, PBS, Travel Channel, T+L).

• Developed bilingual marketing collateral, toolkits, and campaigns targeting travel agents and consumers.

• Executed strategic road shows, embassy events, presentations in English, Arabic, and Spanish.

• Cultivated a robust trade network, doubling B2B partnerships and tourism operator contacts.

Results

• 100% increase in Mexican tourists to Jordan within 3 years.

• Over 250% growth in LATAM outbound travel to Jordan since inception.

• Built a social community from scratch, with:

  • Viral hashtag campaigns

  • Millions of video views

  • Hundreds of unsolicited B2B partnership requests

• LATAM became one of the fastest growing source markets.

• Mexican perception of Jordan transformed through localized, emotional storytelling.

 Case Study:

Mexico & LATAM Market Expansion

✈️ Objective

To establish and grow Jordan’s presence in Mexico and broader Latin America as a must-visit destination, increasing visitation, overnight stays, brand visibility, and trade engagement—all on a lean budget of under $100,000 annually.

📍 Strategic Overview

With Mexico being Latin America's largest economy and the world’s second-largest Catholic population, the market presented ripe opportunities for Jordan. Tapping into segments such as religious tourism, luxury travelers, and experiential explorers, Samer designed and executed a comprehensive strategy targeting trade, media, and consumers.

The foundation: deep relationship-building, smart content, local partnerships, and powerful storytelling—entirely in Spanish.

🔑 Key Markets Visited

• Major Cities: Mexico City, Guadalajara, Monterrey, León, Puebla, Querétaro, Chihuahua, Villahermosa, Mérida, and Cancún.

• Built high-level partnerships across these cities with major travel agencies, consortia, and tour operators.

🚀 Results at a Glance

• Visitor Growth:

  • 2019: 10,350 Mexican visitors to Jordan – surpassing 10K for the first time

  • 2019 vs 2018: +55%

  • 2019 vs 2017: +117.3%

  • 2019 vs 2016: +309.4%

  • 2017–2019 total growth: +135.2%

• Jordan Itineraries Developed: 250+ new and enhanced tour programs

• Mexican Agents Trained in Jordan: 500+

• Mexican Tour Operators Hosted in Jordan: 35+ (Oct 2019 FAM)

• Agent Database Growth: +200% since 2016 (now 13,347+ agents)

• Email Subscribers: 15,759 (up 20%)

• Website Traffic: 50,000+ (visitaJordania.com)

• Social Media: 27,000 followers (Spanish content creation + campaigns)

🎯 Trade Strategy

• Partnered with top wholesalers: Mega Travel, Mundo Joven, Viajes Fama, Petra Operadora, Travel Shop

• Developed Jordan-only and regional combination packages (e.g. Egypt, Israel, Turkey)

• B2B E-Brochures + paid social campaigns reached 200,000 agents

• Monthly business intelligence sharing and custom co-marketing with operators

• Organized Expo Mayoristas Roadshow across 6 cities reaching 2,000+ agents

• Activated strategic partnerships with LATAM’s top consortiums and associations

📈 Mega Travel Campaign Highlights

• Co-op budget: $20,000

• Forecasted ROI: 1,150+ travelers

• Program evolution: From extension to full Jordan-only tours like:

  • Jordania al Completo (9 days)

  • Tesoros de Turquía y Petra (5 days Jordan)

🎥 Content & Media

• Spanish-language branding: Visita Jordania (Website, Social, Blog, Email)

• Created culturally-relevant creative assets across all channels

• Original video, blog, and design supporting campaigns such as:

  • #ViveJordania – Jordan’s first influencer trip (2015) → Twitter Trending in Mexico!

  • Reach: 4.6 million, Impressions: 1.1 million

  • Launched online momentum and sparked new operator interest like Mega Travel

🌟 Top Events & Activations

• Expo Mayoristas Mexico (since 2012): from 2 to 20+ Jordan-selling operators

• Virtuoso LATAM: Jordan awarded Top 3 Most Engaged Preferred Partner (Won 2018)

• Promoted Jordan as an Adventure NEXT destination + hosted impactful giveaways

• Sponsored trip promotions + Spanish #LearnJordan campaign with Mundo Joven

  • Delivered 71 group bookings in 6 months!

💼 Operator Development

• Personally supported 15+ operators in launching their first-ever Jordan-only programs

• Created resources, itineraries, sales tools, and training content

• Helped two U.S.-based and two Mexico-based operators fully adopt Jordan as a feature destination

📊 Data-Driven Insights & Market Intelligence

• Monthly sales tracking and connectivity analysis

• Behavioral segmentation: Catholic, luxury, culture seekers

• 65% of Mexican long-haul travelers use travel agents → B2B-first strategy

• High interest in meaningful, experiential travel = perfect alignment with Jordan’s brand

❤️ Impact That Lasts

• Built genuine trust in the Mexican market—even in crisis moments (e.g., supporting partners on-ground after unfortunate tourist incident)

• Mexican traveler affinity for Jordan has grown from niche to mainstream

• Jordan now seen as a standalone destination with robust programs across key LATAM operators

🧠 What This Means for Future Partners

• Proven ability to create exponential market growth from scratch

• Market insights and storytelling tailored to cultural nuances

• Strong local B2B + B2C networks and media relationships

• Track record of converting awareness into real bookings and long-term ROI

Case Study:

FIFA U-17 Women's World Cup Campaign

Sports Diplomacy in Action: & Sports Tourism Strategy

A multi-dimensional campaign that brought together FIFA, U.S. Soccer, Mexico’s National Team, inbound operators, media, and government stakeholders — while bridging cultures, igniting youth empowerment, and placing Jordan on the global sports tourism map.

🔥 The Opportunity

Faced with regional instability and shifting perceptions, I saw a golden opportunity to align Jordan’s tourism strategy with a powerful movement: the global rise of women in sports. With the FIFA U-17 Women's World Cup coming to Jordan, I spearheaded a campaign that turned a moment into a movement — tying sports, youth development, tourism, and brand diplomacy into one impactful initiative.

🧠 Strategy: Head Meets Heart

This was a perfect example of how I blend data-driven analysis (left brain) with storytelling and human connection (right brain) to deliver results. I:

• Partnered with top sports journalists and storytellers across the U.S. and Latin America to showcase the growth of women’s sports in the Middle East.

• Collaborated with FIFA, U.S. Soccer, and Mexico’s National Team to expand visibility, inclusion, and cross-cultural appeal.

• Engaged inbound tour operators, government authorities, media outlets, and regional stakeholders to ensure aligned messaging and distribution.

🌍 Impact & Results

Built a first-of-its-kind Sports Tourism Division
Negotiated and managed a $5M corporate sponsorship and co-op portfolio
Secured high-impact global sponsorships, including with Columbia Sportswear, REI, Emirates Airlines, and Red Bull
Achieved 32% increase in ROI on brand activations and co-marketing campaigns
Generated $17M+ in revenue from strategic partnerships
Drove a 47% spike in visitation from the active traveler segment
Created a $165M economic impact through grassroots and elite sports tourism programs
Hosted VIP programs for global events including the US Open, Real Madrid Summer Tour, and Dubai’s premium sports and hospitality activations

🌱 Why It Mattered

This wasn’t just a tourism campaign. It was a bridge between cultures, a stage for women’s empowerment, and a blueprint for how destinations can use sports as soft power.
I take pride in knowing that young women from different continents found common ground — and lifelong friendships — through this effort. And Jordan, a small but mighty nation, got to shine as a welcoming, inspiring, and dynamic place to visit and compete.

🤝 Key Roles I Played:

• Developed and led the international partnerships strategy

• Initiated and scaled the sports tourism vertical within the tourism board

• Managed multimillion-dollar co-marketing and brand activations

• Built relationships with FIFA, media platforms, global lifestyle brands, and tour operators

• Led team development, campaign execution, and KPI optimization

• Lectured and spoke on destination branding + sports marketing

Press Trip Strategy as a Game-Changer

• Spearheaded development and execution of press trips to reframe global perception of Jordan through immersive storytelling and creative influencer collaborations.

• Initiated the very first blogger press trip for Jordan, resulting in:

  • 29M+ impressions

  • 65 published articles

  • $6M+ earned media value

  • All within 6 months — with zero paid ad budget.

Viral Campaigns that Captivated Audiences

• Designed and led viral hashtag campaigns like #MeVoyaJordania, #GoLocalJO, and #MyJordanJourney, each helping drive localized engagement and spark social conversation across Latin America and North America.

• Oversaw Alan por el Mundo’s press trip that went viral across Latin America, placing Jordan on the map for an entirely new market and driving record traffic and inquiries.

Award-Winning Storytelling & Media Recognition

• Produced award-winning digital and multimedia campaigns recognized by global outlets.

• Collaborated with Matador Network on Jordan From The Air, which won the Best Tourism Video Grand Prize.

• Partnered with GoPro, Nike, Columbia Sportswear, AFAR, Nat Geo, Conde Nast, Travel + Leisure, Food and Travel MX, Forbes, and Robb Report.

• Secured over 90M+ free media impressions annually, making this one of the most cost-effective awareness campaigns in MENA tourism marketing.

Strategic Relationship Building

• Built strong relationships with high-value media partners and publishers that typically wouldn’t have been reachable with the available budget.

• Leveraged creative co-branded partnerships to amplify reach while maintaining brand identity and authenticity.

Business-Savvy Leadership

• Recognized the long-term value of content creation and press trip ROI early on (since 2012), scaling it into a core component of the national tourism strategy.

• Resulted in 300+ travel articles and TV reports across international media.

• Established strategic media and influencer partnerships with National Geographic, Matador Network, Travel + Leisure, Peter Greenberg, and Andrew Evans.

Client: Apple Leisure Group Vacations (ALGV) & Dubai Economy and Tourism
Year: 2024
Project Lead: Samer Abu Taleb

🚀 The Challenge

Apple Leisure Group Vacations, a powerhouse in leisure travel sales, had never promoted Dubai in its portfolio—despite growing interest from its network of 90,000+ U.S. and Canadian travel agents. Traditionally focused on the Caribbean and cruise sectors, ALGV agents were unfamiliar with selling an “exotic” long-haul destination like Dubai.

Internally, Dubai Economy & Tourism (DET) had never partnered with ALGV. Convincing stakeholders in Dubai to take a leap of faith with a new U.S. tour operator—and invest in a completely new market segment—required strategic persuasion, cultural sensitivity, and bold vision.

🎯 The Objective

• Position Dubai as a bucket-list destination among ALGV’s vast agent network.

• Train agents to confidently sell Dubai to their clientele.

• Generate 4,000+ passengers to Dubai in the first full year of the partnership.

• Lay the foundation for a long-term, scalable collaboration between DET and ALGV.

💡 The Strategy

Samer positioned himself as “Dubai’s trusted face” for ALGV, building rapport across marketing, executive, and agent-facing teams. His strategy included:

• Top-down buy-in from Dubai leadership through a detailed ROI-backed pitch.

• 360° marketing activation including general session sponsorship at ASCEND (ALGV’s annual flagship event with 1,000+ attendees).

• Sales education blitz via webinars, trade shows, and interactive content.

• Brand alignment: Custom messaging that positioned Dubai as both luxurious and accessible, family-friendly yet adventurous.

• DMC facilitation: Introduced key players from Dubai (Elevate, Arabian Adventures) to ALGV to ensure seamless on-ground support.

📈 The Results

Despite geopolitical challenges in the region, the partnership surpassed expectations.

• 5,504 passengers booked to Dubai in 2024 (vs. 2,511 in 2023 – a 110% YoY increase).

• 22,233 room nights booked – with top-performing hotels including JW Marriott Marquis, Riu Dubai, Hyatt Regency Creek, and Sheraton Mall of the Emirates.

• Top airlines booked: Emirates, United, Delta, Qatar Airways, and Air Canada.

• Webinar attendance: 81 high-quality agents trained across two sessions.

• ASCEND impact: High visibility sponsorship led to a spike in agent interest and bookings.

• Dubai now positioned as a core offering within ALGV’s product suite for North American travel agents.

“We are glad we moved forward with Samer’s long-term strategy. His leadership brought Dubai into the spotlight with ALGV. We’re excited to grow this partnership even more in 2025 and beyond.”
— [Client Testimonial Placeholder]

📚 Lessons Learned

• Education is everything. Agents needed hand-holding to overcome misconceptions and confidently sell Dubai.

• Timing matters. Even in the face of global instability, the right strategy and storytelling can cut through noise.

• People sell destinations. Personalized relationship-building was just as important as paid media.

🔮 What’s Next?

Building on this momentum, 2025 will see:

• Launch of a new luxury strategy in partnership with Kerzner (Atlantis & One&Only).

• Dedicated campaigns to promote 5-star products and curated packages.

• Continued agent education with fresh content, incentives, and co-op marketing.

Case Study:

Tourism Cares With Jordan

Timeline: 2018 – Present
Client Partners: Tourism Cares, Jordan Tourism Board, Ministry of Tourism, USAID, Jordan Inbound Operators
Role: Strategic Lead, Connector, and Program Visionary

Objective

Transform Jordan's global tourism narrative by showcasing it as a meaningful, community-driven, and sustainable destination—while uniting U.S. travel trade leaders and Jordanian stakeholders in a first-of-its-kind summit.

My Role

I championed this new division under the Jordan Tourism Board’s North America strategy, aligning diverse stakeholders around a single vision: elevate Jordan as a leader in meaningful, sustainable tourism.

Built trust across sectors—bridging North American tour operators with Jordanian tourism leadership: Brokered trust between hesitant Jordanian stakeholders and progressive North American partners.

Educated stakeholders on the American travel market's growing demand for authentic, ethical, and community-based travel experiences.

I led the strategy, outreach, and execution, coordinating efforts with North American trade.

Led and secured participation from 70+ of North America's most influential tour operators, associations, and travel leaders for an in-country summit.

I spearheaded the launch of the groundbreaking “Meaningful Travel Map of Jordan”—featuring 12 social enterprises that later expanded to over 50. The website with the interactive map can be found in two languages here: www.GoLocalJordan.com

Challenges Tackled

• Uncharted Territory: No blueprint existed. Jordan had never hosted a sustainability-focused tourism summit of this scale.

• Perception Gap: There was a disconnect between what American travelers wanted and what Jordanian suppliers were offering. Community-based tourism was largely unexplored.

• Lack of exposure for community-based tourism initiatives.

• Trust Issues: There was skepticism among local stakeholders about the feasibility and demand for “responsible” and sustainable tourism.

• Urgent need to diversify away from traditional "cut-and-paste" tour itineraries centered only on Petra and Amman.

Strategy & Execution

1. Align Cross-Continental Stakeholders:
I facilitated authentic dialogue between U.S. tour operators and Jordanian DMCs to foster mutual understanding. I positioned sustainable tourism not as an idealistic niche, but as an economic and brand opportunity.

2. Showcase Community-Led Experiences:
I advocated for and co-developed The Meaningful Travel Map of Jordan, which debuted at the summit. It featured 12 social enterprises offering authentic, high-impact experiences. Many had never been promoted before.

3. Elevate Storytelling & Media Impact:
We hired a documentary film crew to follow the journey — capturing emotional testimonials, inspiring narratives, and unforgettable connections. These assets were distributed across social media, media outlets, and partner websites.

4. Follow-Up for Long-Term Buy-In:
Beyond the summit, I facilitated ongoing program adoption and itinerary changes with major global tour operators.

Immediate Impact: What We Achieved

• $62,000+ invested directly in local community projects through Tourism Cares grant funding.

• Tour operators added an average of 1 extra night to their Jordan itineraries—boosting in-country spend and extending stays.

• Increased tourism awareness and engagement:

  • 301% growth in visits to MyJordanJourney.com

  • 1.2M+ media impressions across North America

  • Generated rich storytelling assets: a 5-minute promotional film and multiple short-form social media clips

• U.S. travel industry buy-in: USTOA, NTA, ASTA, ATTA, SYTA, and others amplified Jordan’s message through their channels and events.

• This had a ripple effect to the other market i was in charge of - the Mexico and LATAM market which followed suit the following year, driving demand for meaningful travel experiences through the roof in 2019.

Tour Operator Commitments:

• The Travel Corporation (TTC) overhauled all brand itineraries to include sustainable community visits.

• TTC’s TreadRight Foundation donated over $30,000 to Iraq Al Amir Women’s Cooperative.

• Personal contribution by TTC CEO Brett Tollman of $7,500 to fund a new kitchen for the cooperative.

• Goway, Alexander & Roberts, Contiki, and others launched new or expanded offerings featuring Meaningful Travel Map sites.

Long-Term Ripple Effects

• The Meaningful Travel Map remains a cornerstone in Jordan’s tourism strategy.

• 50+ social enterprises now supported by tourism, with direct economic benefits to underserved communities.

• Global recognition for Jordan as a leader in experiential and community-driven travel.

• Continued storytelling through major trade shows, conferences, and social campaigns.

• The approach has since been replicated as a model for other emerging destinations seeking to balance growth with impact.

• Significant increase in overnight stays in Jordan by North American operators who attended.

• 301% traffic growth to MyJordanJourney.com and the Meaningful Travel Map.

• Widespread media reach: Estimated 1.2M impressions through earned media and partnerships.

Long-Term Adoption by Tour Operators: Top brands like Trafalgar, Uniworld, Insight Vacations, and Contiki redesigned their itineraries to include social enterprise stops, additional overnights, and community-led experiences — all inspired by this program.

Association Engagement: Leaders from USTOA, NTA, ASTA, ATTA, SYTA, and U.S. Travel Association attended, provided testimonials, published features, and integrated the messaging across their platforms.

Signature Media Moment

A 5-minute documentary film was produced showcasing the summit and the stories behind the Meaningful Travel Map. It was showcased at:

• USTOA Annual Conference

• Adventure NEXT MENA

• NTA Travel Exchange

• And submitted to the Adventure in Motion competition

It continues to serve as an evergreen promotional tool for Jordan's sustainable tourism brand.

Key Lessons Learned

• Communication, education, and passion are the most powerful tools in tourism transformation. When you align the right people with the right purpose—change is not just possible, it’s sustainable.

• Education breeds transformation: Many local suppliers needed to see the power of sustainable tourism firsthand. Once they did, they became ambassadors for the model.

• Passion is contagious: When you deeply believe in your product and purpose, it opens minds — even in the most conservative settings.

• Relationships are the catalyst: This summit proved the value of human connection and cultural exchange in shaping long-term economic development.

Why It Matters

Tourism Cares with Jordan redefined what collaboration in tourism can look like. It proved that a destination's greatest asset isn’t just its landmarks—but its people, its stories, and its willingness to evolve. This case not only sparked real economic and social uplift, but it inspired an entire industry to think differently.

Legacy

"Tourism Cares with Jordan" is now a blueprint for public-private collaboration in tourism development. Jordan became the first destination globally to launch a Meaningful Travel Map, and this initiative continues to shape how the country is positioned internationally.

Today, the ripple effects are still felt — not only in the number of operators including these experiences, but in how Jordan defines its national tourism identity: authentic, inclusive, impactful.

Want to co-create something this impactful?

Let’s talk about how to bring transformational tourism strategy to your destination or travel business.