Promising tourism

When the Aqaba Special Economic Zone Authority (ASEZA) says that 14 cruise  ships are expected to drop anchor in Aqaba during April alone bringing with them thousands of tourists, this validates the prediction of the Ministry of Tourism and Antiquities that Jordan will witness a dramatic increase  in the number of tourists  visiting the country this year. 

This dramatic increase in the number of tourists is also a vote of confidence to the stability and security of the Kingdom.

Three cruise ships have already arrived in Aqaba, carrying about 16,000 tourists who made a one-day or an over-night visit to the so-called “Golden Triangle”, the triumvirate of Aqaba, Petra and Wadi Rum.

Some more adventurous tourists extended their sojourn in Jordan to the Dead Sea and the Baptism Site on the Jordan River. 

This is certainly good and promising news. It also means that Jordan must be doing  something right to still attract so many tourists while the region remains engulfed in untold number of conflicts.

Jordanian authorities predict that this year alone will witness a whopping 200 per cent increase in the number of tourists coming to the Kingdom compared to last year. Of course tourists “talk” and spread by word of mouth their pleasant experiences in Jordan. That’s why it is never too late to improve the quality of service and hospitality extended to tourists. 

Having clean bus stops on national highways is more pressing than ever before, especially if Jordan would like tourists to extend their road travel in the country. 

In other words, there is still a lot more that can be done to encourage even more tourists to visit Jordan and travel beyond the Golden Triangle destinations.