Cruise traffic brings boom to Jordan's 'Golden Triangle'

AMMAN — Cruise ship tourism to Jordan’s “Golden Triangle” of Aqaba, Wadi Run and Petra is set to see a boom next year, with over 96 confirmed cruise ship reservations, according to Jordan TV. 

Aqaba Special Economic Zone Authority (ASEZA) Commissioner for Tourism and Environment Nidal Al Majali told The Jordan Times that over 850,000 people have made hotel reservations at Aqaba hotels since January. 

“We are hoping to increase this number next year,” Majali said.

Aqaba’s ports are expected to receive eight giant cruise ships carrying about 22,000 tourists this month, Jordan TV reported.

Already, “the first giant cruise ship carrying over 2,600 tourists docked at Aqaba port,” Majali added. 

“Currently, there are over 1,200 tourists in Aqaba city,” Majali added.

There has been a significant increase in the number of tourists arriving at Aqaba port, “which exceeded ASEZA’s expectations by 40 per cent”, Majali said.

According to the Jordan News Agency, Petra, King Hussein International Airport in Aqaba has received 18 flights from abroad since the beginning of December.

The Kingdom’s tourism income during the first 11 months of this year increased by 115 per cent, to reach $5.3 billion, compared with the same period last year, Petra reported.  

An additional 2.4 million tourists visited the Kingdom, this year according to the Petra report. 

The overall number of visitors to Jordan reached 4.6 million tourists during the first 11 months of 2022, according to the latest data issued by the Central Bank of Jordan.

Raad Mihyar, an Aqaba-based hotel owner, told The Jordan Times that occupancy rates in Aqaba have skyrocketed this year.

“The majority of the bookings we have are by European tourists,” Mihyar said, adding that this year is one of the best years for the hospitality sector in Aqaba.

Tourists are remarkably reactivating business at tourist sites, restaurants and souvenir shops, Mihyar said.