Aqaba receives 1st cruise ship with 4,000 tourists

AMMAN — Aqaba on Monday received the first cruise ship of 2023, which carried about 4,000 tourists from various European and Arab countries. Speaking to the Jordan News Agency, Petra, President of the Aqaba Special Economic Zone Authority (ASEZA) Nayef Fayez said that 90 cruise ships are expected to dock in Aqaba this year. He stressed the importance of cruise ship tourism in the growth of the Kingdom's tourism industry.

Fayez added that the authority is prepared to offer the required infrastructural services for both domestic and international tourism, noting that a passenger terminal is scheduled to open this month in the old port to simplify and expedite procedures for visitor entry. He added that tourism in 2022 was "promising" compared with the previous year, noting that Aqaba, and the Kingdom in general, has recently witnessed reinvigorated tourist activity.