Tourism officials in Jordan have been reviewing developments in the country's tourism sector as revenues from 2016 are on par with takings from 2015 despite a reported rise in the number of visitors to the Western Asian kingdom.
Jordan is home to an incredible 100,000+ sites of religious and archaeological sites and spectacular landmarks that draw tourists from all around the world, namely the historical cities of Petra and Jerash, and biblical sites including Al-Maghtas and Mount Nebo.
These sites are significant to both Islamic and Christian faiths, but Jordan also sees visitors coming for the purposes of medical tourism, where people come to receive medical attention that cannot be found in other places in the region.
Reports registered a 2.6 rise in overnight visitors in 2016, up from around 3.14 million in 2015 to 3.86 million in 2016. However, revenues from these 2016 visitors remained the same as in 2015, at approximately JD2.87 million.
Tourism is a cornerstone of the Jordanian economy, so it should come as no surprise that these statistics are being examined closely to see why and how the gaps are occurring, and analysis points to a number of factors.
The main reason that intake from the tourism sector is down is due to a shift in where the majority of tourists are coming from, and how their spending habits differ.
Traditionally, regional tourism made up the bulk of visitors to Jordan, mainly from Saudi Arabia, whose population has a bigger spending power than visitors from Europe, the United States and Asia.
But the number of Saudis coming to Jordan has dropped due to internal economic measures being taken in Saudi Arabia to cut down on expenses, which has had a knock-on effect on people's decisions to travel.
The effects of regional instability because of the Arab Spring and the ongoing war in Syria have also had an effect, with people perhaps choosing not to travel to a region that is deemed to be in the midst of an armed crisis.
The ministry for tourism is going to focus its efforts this year on cultivating religious and medical tourism in an effort to boost these sides of the economy.
Let's take a look at some projects currently underway in Jordan:
QASR AL-AQABA: Saraya Aqaba features a unique mix of residential, business and entertainment facilities and outlets, including the following four new hotels: Qasr Al-Aqaba, Al Qala'a, Al Manara a Luxury Collection Hotel and The Westin Aqaba.
Al Manara, a Luxury Collection Hotel, Saraya Aqaba: Saraya Aqaba features a unique mix of residential, business and entertainment facilities and outlets, including the following four new hotels:
Qasr Al-Aqaba (Jumeirah)
Al Qala'a (Jumeirah)
Marsa Zayed Aqaba: The project would include 8 hotels in a mixed-use waterfront project. This project will furthermore include high-rise residential towers, retail, recreational, entertainment, business and financial facilities.
The project will be implemented in several phases once the transfer of land ownership is complete.
Tourism, Travel, Hospitality, Conservation: News,Stories And Experiences From Allover The World
Showing posts with label Jerash. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Jerash. Show all posts
Monday, 22 May 2017
Friday, 28 April 2017
JORDAN: Jordan Hosts AdventureNEXT Conference 15-17/ May
Jordan will on May 15-17 host AdventureNEXT Near East, the first conference to develop ecotourism and travel throughout the Middle East and North Africa.
The event - organized with the support of Jordan's tourism and antiquities ministry and the Jordan Tourism Board - will be held alongside the inauguration of the 650-km Jordan Trail, which will cross 52 villages across the country. The Jordan Trail is expected to lead to economic growth for the local communities.
Taking part will be tourism boards, travel agents and representatives of hotel facilities strongly supporting sustainable, responsible and adventure tourism that are members of the Adventure Travel Trade Association (ATTA), a body that has 1,100 associates in 90 countries.
Minister of Tourism and Antiquities, Lina Annab Tuesday said Jordan's largest tourism investments are located in Amman, the Dead Sea and Aqaba, pointing out that the value of current investments in Aqaba and the Dead Sea amount to about JOD16 billion.
Annab is heading the Jordanian delegation participating in the Arabian Travel Market (ATM) 2017 in Dubai, running through Thursday with the participation of 159 countries.
She told Petra that most recent include the Ayla Oasis, which includes the first 18-hole golf course designed by the legendary golfer Greg Norman, Saraya Aqaba and Marsa Zayed, in the southern port of Aqaba.
Annab said Amman is currently witnessing significant tourism investments, such as the St. Regis and Fairmont hotel projects and the Abdali Boulevard project, which includes Rotana hotels and a chain of international restaurants.
ATM 2017 will welcome over 2,600 confirmed exhibitors – with 100 exhibiting for the first time – across 65 national pavilions, and an expected number of visitors of 30,000.
Weeks after last month's deadly castle siege in the Jordanian city of Karak, police maintained a daily presence in an armoured Jeep in the heart of the capital Amman.
A helmeted police officer constantly manned the heavy machinegun affixed to the Jeep's roof, scanning cars and pedestrians as they navigated through the central neighbourhood of Jabal al-Weibdeh. Other officers stopped and searched vehicles and pedestrians, a patrol that continued up until last week.
A vibrant neighbourhood comprising Jordanian Muslims, Christians and foreigners, Jabal al-Weibdeh is in many ways an example of the tolerant image that Jordan wants to project to the world - while the heavy, yet temporary police presence illustrates the fine line that Jordan must tread between visible security and not deterring tourists.
In 2015, tourism contributed 6 percent directly to Jordan's GDP, and more than 20 percent indirectly, according to the World Travel and Tourism Council.
After the Karak siege, the United States warned its citizens of "threats from terrorist groups throughout Jordan", adding to fears about the impacts of the attack on Jordan's tourism sector.
The modern Jordanian tourism industry was born out of conflict - in particular, Israel's capture and occupation of East Jerusalem and the West Bank in 1967, said Suleiman Farajat, an assistant professor of tourism at the University of Jordan.
"When Jordan lost the West Bank in 1967, it became very important to focus on Jordanian sites in the east, starting from Petra, where the first management plan was done in 1968," Farajat told Al Jazeera.
With the rise of oil in the region in the 1970s, the inscription of Petra as a World Heritage Site in 1985, and the filming of 1989's Indiana Jones in Petra, Jordan's international profile rose. The country's peace treaty with Israel in 1994, Farajat said, was a real turning point "when numbers of tourists doubled, and when the infrastructure of tourism became more visible".
But subsequent regional conflicts, including the 2003 Iraq war and the ongoing violence in Syria and Iraq, have heavily impacted Jordan's tourism industry, causing tourist numbers to fall. Visitor numbers to Petra were halved between 2014 and 2015, dropping from 800,000 to 400,000.
Tourism industry workers are concerned about what lies ahead. Ahmad, a tour guide who works at the Greco-Roman ruins at Jerash - which were also under tightened security after the Karak siege - has witnessed the steady decline in numbers first-hand.
Since the outbreak of Syria's civil war in 2011, he estimates there has been an 80 percent drop in tourists to Jerash.
"In the high season, we used to do up to five tours a day, each tour guide. Now in the high season we do one every day, sometimes one every two days," said Ahmad, who did not provide a last name.
He noted that his profession faces a secondary threat from the increased automation of tour-guide services, including cheaper, headphone audio-guided tours.
When they do come to Jordan, tourists' demographics have also changed, Ahmad said including the replacement of "retirees, Americans, Europeans, on a regular, or traditional tour", with younger, often poorer, tourists.
"This is reflected in the budget of the tourist. Mostly, the majority come here on a tight budget," he explained, noting that entrance fees to some of Jordan's tourist sites may be prohibitively high. A one-month entry visa to Jordan costs 40 Jordanian dinars ($56), while the entrance fee for a one-day visit to Petra is 50 dinars ($70).
When Ahmad began working as a tour guide in 2010, it was a coveted career, he said.
"In the past it used to be a full-time job, and they used to make very good money. It was the best job to do in Jordan. Some professors left teaching in universities and became tour guides," he explained. "But now it's the opposite. Tour guides are looking for other jobs."
As many tour guides struggle to maintain a steady income and morale plummets, Farajat said, this "indirectly influences the quality of service and the culture of service", harming Jordan's competitive advantage in the international market.
Still, with attacks being staged everywhere from Paris to Berlin, tourists are realising that "it could happen anywhere," Ahmad noted.
"We had the attack in Karak, and the attack in Germany. How many people were killed here, and there? In Jordan, 10. In Germany, 12," Ahmad recalled telling a group of young, western tourists in Karak on the day of last month's siege.
If you talk about terrorism, now it's everywhere in the world. So there's no point in avoiding this country or that, because it can happen in every country.
Farajat cited the importance of tourism as a way to counter Islamophobic narratives in the West.
It's very important in this time of Islamophobia, that tourists come here and see that we are normal people. We don't bite, he said with a laugh. That's important, right?
Certain areas of Jordan, especially the tourist draws of Jerash, Petra, Wadi Rum and Aqaba - may be hit hardest by any fallout from the Karak siege.
But Tourism Minister Lina Annab, who kept her post in this month's cabinet shuffle, played down reports of declining tourist numbers during a recent news conference.
"It's business as usual and the cancellations have been minimal. Unfortunately, as for danger, there is no place that is 100 percent safe," Annab said. The tourism ministry did not respond to requests for further comment.
When spring finally arrives, bringing warmer weather and wild-flower-covered hills, Ahmad and his colleagues hope more tourists will flock back to the country.
Until then, they must persevere, returning to Petra yet again without knowing whether the next day will bring work.
The event - organized with the support of Jordan's tourism and antiquities ministry and the Jordan Tourism Board - will be held alongside the inauguration of the 650-km Jordan Trail, which will cross 52 villages across the country. The Jordan Trail is expected to lead to economic growth for the local communities.
Taking part will be tourism boards, travel agents and representatives of hotel facilities strongly supporting sustainable, responsible and adventure tourism that are members of the Adventure Travel Trade Association (ATTA), a body that has 1,100 associates in 90 countries.
Minister of Tourism and Antiquities, Lina Annab Tuesday said Jordan's largest tourism investments are located in Amman, the Dead Sea and Aqaba, pointing out that the value of current investments in Aqaba and the Dead Sea amount to about JOD16 billion.
Annab is heading the Jordanian delegation participating in the Arabian Travel Market (ATM) 2017 in Dubai, running through Thursday with the participation of 159 countries.
She told Petra that most recent include the Ayla Oasis, which includes the first 18-hole golf course designed by the legendary golfer Greg Norman, Saraya Aqaba and Marsa Zayed, in the southern port of Aqaba.
Annab said Amman is currently witnessing significant tourism investments, such as the St. Regis and Fairmont hotel projects and the Abdali Boulevard project, which includes Rotana hotels and a chain of international restaurants.
ATM 2017 will welcome over 2,600 confirmed exhibitors – with 100 exhibiting for the first time – across 65 national pavilions, and an expected number of visitors of 30,000.
Weeks after last month's deadly castle siege in the Jordanian city of Karak, police maintained a daily presence in an armoured Jeep in the heart of the capital Amman.
A helmeted police officer constantly manned the heavy machinegun affixed to the Jeep's roof, scanning cars and pedestrians as they navigated through the central neighbourhood of Jabal al-Weibdeh. Other officers stopped and searched vehicles and pedestrians, a patrol that continued up until last week.
A vibrant neighbourhood comprising Jordanian Muslims, Christians and foreigners, Jabal al-Weibdeh is in many ways an example of the tolerant image that Jordan wants to project to the world - while the heavy, yet temporary police presence illustrates the fine line that Jordan must tread between visible security and not deterring tourists.
In 2015, tourism contributed 6 percent directly to Jordan's GDP, and more than 20 percent indirectly, according to the World Travel and Tourism Council.
After the Karak siege, the United States warned its citizens of "threats from terrorist groups throughout Jordan", adding to fears about the impacts of the attack on Jordan's tourism sector.
The modern Jordanian tourism industry was born out of conflict - in particular, Israel's capture and occupation of East Jerusalem and the West Bank in 1967, said Suleiman Farajat, an assistant professor of tourism at the University of Jordan.
"When Jordan lost the West Bank in 1967, it became very important to focus on Jordanian sites in the east, starting from Petra, where the first management plan was done in 1968," Farajat told Al Jazeera.
With the rise of oil in the region in the 1970s, the inscription of Petra as a World Heritage Site in 1985, and the filming of 1989's Indiana Jones in Petra, Jordan's international profile rose. The country's peace treaty with Israel in 1994, Farajat said, was a real turning point "when numbers of tourists doubled, and when the infrastructure of tourism became more visible".
But subsequent regional conflicts, including the 2003 Iraq war and the ongoing violence in Syria and Iraq, have heavily impacted Jordan's tourism industry, causing tourist numbers to fall. Visitor numbers to Petra were halved between 2014 and 2015, dropping from 800,000 to 400,000.
Tourism industry workers are concerned about what lies ahead. Ahmad, a tour guide who works at the Greco-Roman ruins at Jerash - which were also under tightened security after the Karak siege - has witnessed the steady decline in numbers first-hand.
Since the outbreak of Syria's civil war in 2011, he estimates there has been an 80 percent drop in tourists to Jerash.
"In the high season, we used to do up to five tours a day, each tour guide. Now in the high season we do one every day, sometimes one every two days," said Ahmad, who did not provide a last name.
He noted that his profession faces a secondary threat from the increased automation of tour-guide services, including cheaper, headphone audio-guided tours.
When they do come to Jordan, tourists' demographics have also changed, Ahmad said including the replacement of "retirees, Americans, Europeans, on a regular, or traditional tour", with younger, often poorer, tourists.
"This is reflected in the budget of the tourist. Mostly, the majority come here on a tight budget," he explained, noting that entrance fees to some of Jordan's tourist sites may be prohibitively high. A one-month entry visa to Jordan costs 40 Jordanian dinars ($56), while the entrance fee for a one-day visit to Petra is 50 dinars ($70).
When Ahmad began working as a tour guide in 2010, it was a coveted career, he said.
"In the past it used to be a full-time job, and they used to make very good money. It was the best job to do in Jordan. Some professors left teaching in universities and became tour guides," he explained. "But now it's the opposite. Tour guides are looking for other jobs."
As many tour guides struggle to maintain a steady income and morale plummets, Farajat said, this "indirectly influences the quality of service and the culture of service", harming Jordan's competitive advantage in the international market.
Still, with attacks being staged everywhere from Paris to Berlin, tourists are realising that "it could happen anywhere," Ahmad noted.
"We had the attack in Karak, and the attack in Germany. How many people were killed here, and there? In Jordan, 10. In Germany, 12," Ahmad recalled telling a group of young, western tourists in Karak on the day of last month's siege.
If you talk about terrorism, now it's everywhere in the world. So there's no point in avoiding this country or that, because it can happen in every country.
Farajat cited the importance of tourism as a way to counter Islamophobic narratives in the West.
It's very important in this time of Islamophobia, that tourists come here and see that we are normal people. We don't bite, he said with a laugh. That's important, right?
Certain areas of Jordan, especially the tourist draws of Jerash, Petra, Wadi Rum and Aqaba - may be hit hardest by any fallout from the Karak siege.
But Tourism Minister Lina Annab, who kept her post in this month's cabinet shuffle, played down reports of declining tourist numbers during a recent news conference.
"It's business as usual and the cancellations have been minimal. Unfortunately, as for danger, there is no place that is 100 percent safe," Annab said. The tourism ministry did not respond to requests for further comment.
When spring finally arrives, bringing warmer weather and wild-flower-covered hills, Ahmad and his colleagues hope more tourists will flock back to the country.
Until then, they must persevere, returning to Petra yet again without knowing whether the next day will bring work.
Wednesday, 22 March 2017
JORDAN: Struggling To Attract Tourists Again
For weeks after last month's deadly castle siege in the Jordanian city of Karak, police maintained a daily presence in an armoured Jeep in the heart of the capital Amman.
A helmeted police officer constantly manned the heavy machinegun affixed to the Jeep's roof, scanning cars and pedestrians as they navigated through the central neighbourhood of Jabal al-Weibdeh.
Other officers stopped and searched vehicles and pedestrians, a patrol that continued up until last week.
A vibrant neighbourhood comprising Jordanian Muslims, Christians and foreigners, Jabal al-Weibdeh is in many ways an example of the tolerant image that Jordan wants to project to the world - while the heavy, yet temporary police presence illustrates the fine line that Jordan must tread between visible security and not deterring tourists.
In 2015, tourism contributed 6 percent directly to Jordan's GDP, and more than 20 percent indirectly, according to the World Travel and Tourism Council.
After the Karak siege, the United States warned its citizens of "threats from terrorist groups throughout Jordan", adding to fears about the impacts of the attack on Jordan's tourism sector.
The modern Jordanian tourism industry was born out of conflict - in particular, Israel's capture and occupation of East Jerusalem and the West Bank in 1967, said Suleiman Farajat, an assistant professor of tourism at the University of Jordan.
"When Jordan lost the West Bank in 1967, it became very important to focus on Jordanian sites in the east, starting from Petra, where the first management plan was done in 1968," Farajat said.
With the rise of oil in the region in the 1970s, the inscription of Petra as a World Heritage Site in 1985, and the filming of 1989's Indiana Jones in Petra, Jordan's international profile rose.
The country's peace treaty with Israel in 1994, Farajat said, was a real turning point "when numbers of tourists doubled, and when the infrastructure of tourism became more visible"
But subsequent regional conflicts, including the 2003 Iraq war and the ongoing violence in Syria and Iraq, have heavily impacted Jordan's tourism industry, causing tourist numbers to fall.
Visitor numbers to Petra fell between 2014 and 2015, dropping from 800,000 to 400,000.
Tourism industry workers are concerned about what lies ahead.
Ahmad, a tour guide who works at the Greco-Roman ruins at Jerash - which were also under tightened security after the Karak siege - has witnessed the steady decline in numbers first-hand.
Since the outbreak of Syria's civil war in 2011, he estimates there has been an 80 percent drop in tourists to Jerash.
"In the high season, we used to do up to five tours a day, each tour guide.
Now in the high season we do one every day, sometimes one every two days," said Ahmad. He noted that his profession faces a secondary threat from the increased automation of tour-guide services, including cheaper, headphone audio-guided tours.
When they do come to Jordan, tourists' demographics have also changed, Ahmad said, including the replacement of "retirees, Americans, Europeans, on a regular, or traditional tour", with younger, often poorer, tourists.
"This is reflected in the budget of the tourist. Mostly, the majority come here on a tight budget," he explained, noting that entrance fees to some of Jordan's tourist sites may be prohibitively high.
A one-month entry visa to Jordan costs 40 Jordanian dinars ($56), while the entrance fee for a one-day visit to Petra is 50 dinars ($70).
When Ahmad began working as a tour guide in 2010, it was a coveted career, he said.
"In the past it used to be a full-time job, and they used to make very good money. It was the best job to do in Jordan.
Some professors left teaching in universities and became tour guides," he explained. "But now it's the opposite. Tour guides are looking for other jobs."
As many tour guides struggle to maintain a steady income and morale plummets, Farajat said, this "indirectly influences the quality of service and the culture of service", harming Jordan's competitive advantage in the international market.
Still, with attacks being staged everywhere from Paris to Berlin, tourists are realising that "it could happen anywhere," Ahmad noted.
"We had the attack in Karak, and the attack in Germany. How many people were killed here, and there? In Jordan, 10. In Germany, 12," Ahmad recalled telling a group of young, western tourists in Karak on the day of last month's siege.
"If you talk about terrorism, now it's everywhere in the world. So there's no point in avoiding this country or that, because it can happen in every country."
Farajat cited the importance of tourism as a way to counter Islamophobic narratives in the West.
"It's very important in this time of Islamophobia, that tourists come here and see that we are normal people. We don't bite," he said with a laugh. "That's important, right?"
Certain areas of Jordan - especially the tourist draws of Jerash, Petra, Wadi Rum and Aqaba - may be hit hardest by any fallout from the Karak siege.
But Tourism Minister Lina Annab, who kept her post in this month's cabinet shuffle, played down reports of declining tourist numbers during a recent news conference.
"It's business as usual and the cancellations have been minimal. Unfortunately, as for danger, there is no place that is 100 percent safe," Annab said.
When spring finally arrives, bringing warmer weather and wild-flower-covered hills, Ahmad and his colleagues hope more tourists will flock back to the country.
Until then, they must persevere, returning to Petra yet again without knowing whether the next day will bring work.
A helmeted police officer constantly manned the heavy machinegun affixed to the Jeep's roof, scanning cars and pedestrians as they navigated through the central neighbourhood of Jabal al-Weibdeh.
Other officers stopped and searched vehicles and pedestrians, a patrol that continued up until last week.
A vibrant neighbourhood comprising Jordanian Muslims, Christians and foreigners, Jabal al-Weibdeh is in many ways an example of the tolerant image that Jordan wants to project to the world - while the heavy, yet temporary police presence illustrates the fine line that Jordan must tread between visible security and not deterring tourists.
In 2015, tourism contributed 6 percent directly to Jordan's GDP, and more than 20 percent indirectly, according to the World Travel and Tourism Council.
After the Karak siege, the United States warned its citizens of "threats from terrorist groups throughout Jordan", adding to fears about the impacts of the attack on Jordan's tourism sector.
The modern Jordanian tourism industry was born out of conflict - in particular, Israel's capture and occupation of East Jerusalem and the West Bank in 1967, said Suleiman Farajat, an assistant professor of tourism at the University of Jordan.
"When Jordan lost the West Bank in 1967, it became very important to focus on Jordanian sites in the east, starting from Petra, where the first management plan was done in 1968," Farajat said.
With the rise of oil in the region in the 1970s, the inscription of Petra as a World Heritage Site in 1985, and the filming of 1989's Indiana Jones in Petra, Jordan's international profile rose.
The country's peace treaty with Israel in 1994, Farajat said, was a real turning point "when numbers of tourists doubled, and when the infrastructure of tourism became more visible"
But subsequent regional conflicts, including the 2003 Iraq war and the ongoing violence in Syria and Iraq, have heavily impacted Jordan's tourism industry, causing tourist numbers to fall.
Visitor numbers to Petra fell between 2014 and 2015, dropping from 800,000 to 400,000.
Tourism industry workers are concerned about what lies ahead.
Ahmad, a tour guide who works at the Greco-Roman ruins at Jerash - which were also under tightened security after the Karak siege - has witnessed the steady decline in numbers first-hand.
Since the outbreak of Syria's civil war in 2011, he estimates there has been an 80 percent drop in tourists to Jerash.
"In the high season, we used to do up to five tours a day, each tour guide.
Now in the high season we do one every day, sometimes one every two days," said Ahmad. He noted that his profession faces a secondary threat from the increased automation of tour-guide services, including cheaper, headphone audio-guided tours.
When they do come to Jordan, tourists' demographics have also changed, Ahmad said, including the replacement of "retirees, Americans, Europeans, on a regular, or traditional tour", with younger, often poorer, tourists.
"This is reflected in the budget of the tourist. Mostly, the majority come here on a tight budget," he explained, noting that entrance fees to some of Jordan's tourist sites may be prohibitively high.
A one-month entry visa to Jordan costs 40 Jordanian dinars ($56), while the entrance fee for a one-day visit to Petra is 50 dinars ($70).
When Ahmad began working as a tour guide in 2010, it was a coveted career, he said.
"In the past it used to be a full-time job, and they used to make very good money. It was the best job to do in Jordan.
Some professors left teaching in universities and became tour guides," he explained. "But now it's the opposite. Tour guides are looking for other jobs."
As many tour guides struggle to maintain a steady income and morale plummets, Farajat said, this "indirectly influences the quality of service and the culture of service", harming Jordan's competitive advantage in the international market.
Still, with attacks being staged everywhere from Paris to Berlin, tourists are realising that "it could happen anywhere," Ahmad noted.
"We had the attack in Karak, and the attack in Germany. How many people were killed here, and there? In Jordan, 10. In Germany, 12," Ahmad recalled telling a group of young, western tourists in Karak on the day of last month's siege.
"If you talk about terrorism, now it's everywhere in the world. So there's no point in avoiding this country or that, because it can happen in every country."
Farajat cited the importance of tourism as a way to counter Islamophobic narratives in the West.
"It's very important in this time of Islamophobia, that tourists come here and see that we are normal people. We don't bite," he said with a laugh. "That's important, right?"
Certain areas of Jordan - especially the tourist draws of Jerash, Petra, Wadi Rum and Aqaba - may be hit hardest by any fallout from the Karak siege.
But Tourism Minister Lina Annab, who kept her post in this month's cabinet shuffle, played down reports of declining tourist numbers during a recent news conference.
"It's business as usual and the cancellations have been minimal. Unfortunately, as for danger, there is no place that is 100 percent safe," Annab said.
When spring finally arrives, bringing warmer weather and wild-flower-covered hills, Ahmad and his colleagues hope more tourists will flock back to the country.
Until then, they must persevere, returning to Petra yet again without knowing whether the next day will bring work.
Saturday, 8 October 2016
JORDAN: Why Jordan Is Unique
Jordan’s blessing its location nestled on the edge of the Arabian Peninsula and not far from the Mediterranean has blessed it with an enviable collection of wonders natural and manmade that put the country in a class by itself.
If it weren’t for Jordan’s geography, it wouldn’t boast the awe-inspiring rock city of Petra; the spectacular canyons of Wadi Rum and Mujib; the ancient city of Jerash; or Mount Nebo, from where Moses saw The Promised Land; or the site of Jesus’ baptism at Bethany Beyond the Jordan.
“Jordanians have a sense that they’ve been tasked to serve as guardians of something bigger than themselves,” says Khalid Itum.
Itum, a Jordanian national, travels frequently to Jordan from his current home in Los Angeles and once operated a travel company that arranged experiential travel to his native homeland.
He concurs that “Jordan really is different” than other countries in the region, due in part to its history and politics, but also because of its capacity to embrace and enmesh cultures that are often at odds with one another elsewhere.
“Jordan doesn’t have oil so chose to invest in human resources to thrive. That spawned a more liberal society against a backdrop of security. It’s more open and tolerant and is sort of close to everybody by necessity,” he explains.
“In Jordan there is no clash between east and west. They blend together nicely and naturally.”
Over the years, Itum has accompanied hundreds of visitors on their visits to Jordan, seeing first-hand how they react to the country when the also recognize just how different it is.
“You can see it in their eyes,” he explains. “The amazing religious sites, castles from the crusades, the amazing landscape – there’s something for everyone which is often more than people were expecting.”
Another hallmark that sets Jordan apart is its openness, which is often expressed on a personal level the legendary hospitality of its people.
“I don’t think it’s possible for anyone to visit Jordan without being invited in to someone’s home to share a meal together,” says Itum.
When asked to offer up experiences that best exemplify Jordan as the Different East, Itum is quick to mention Petra – the one-of-a-kind UNESCO world heritage site featured in Raiders of the Lost Ark.
“I’ve probably been there a couple of dozen times and every time my jaw just drops at how spectacular it is. There really is nothing like it anywhere,” he says.
But he adds that there is far, far more and has always insisted that his guests spend a minimum of a week there and even encourages people to stay for 10+ days.
Itum also mentions his own home city of Jerash – host to one of Jordan’s largest cultural festivals, which features an eclectic mix of Jordanian and international artists, with performances taking place in the open air among the city’s famed Roman ruins.
“Sitting there, listening to the music in that atmosphere, you feel like you’ve stepped into a different time,” he says. “But just beyond the spectacular Roman colonnades you find a modern, thriving city much like any other. It’s that sort of juxtaposition that really sums up what makes Jordan different.”
Another special spot for Itum and many of the tour groups he led is Mount Nebo, the spot described in the Old Testament where Moses was able to see the Promised Land.
“I’m not religious at all, but you can’t help but be gripped by the spirituality of the place,” he says. “And on a clear day you too can see the lights of Jerusalem.”
In some ways, Jordan’s distinctiveness comes from simply having been around for a long, long time. But more than that, it’s also how the country has preserved the legacy while at the same time embracing what lies ahead.
“Jordan really is one of the best places you'll ever travel to on the face of this earth,” Itum says. “I can try to paint the picture, but you'll have to experience it for yourself to truly understand.”
The sentiment was perhaps best expressed by the late King Hussein, who ruled Jordan for more than four decades until his death in 1999:
“Jordan has a strange, haunting beauty and a sense of timelessness. Dotted with the ruins of empires once great, it is the last resort of yesterday in the world of tomorrow.”
JORDAN: Jordan Most Popular Tourist Destinations East Of The Mediterranean
Whoa, slow down a minute. I've never even thought about going to Jordan.
Then you're missing out! There are a million reasons to go – from the extraordinary cultural heritage, UNESCO world heritage sites, the unique lifestyle, and so much more.
Did you know you can follow the footsteps of Lawrence of Arabia on the back of a camel or donkey? Or you can bathe in the mineral waters of the Dead Sea or scuba dive in the Red Sea?
Imagine taking a hot air balloon ride in the desert over the Mars-like landscape of Wadi Rum.
I had no idea. That seems really cool! But surely visiting all these amazing places must be complicated.
No, not at all. Sure, they may be thousands of years old and in the middle of the desert, but getting there is fairly straightforward.
Jordan has great infrastructure that makes it easy for visitors to see the country’s treasures – the roads are smooth and well maintained and there are plenty of bus shuttle services to all major tourist attractions.
The hardest part is choosing which places to see – there are just so many!
Got it. But is it safe?
Of course! Jordanian society is modern and pretty progressive in many ways, while still drawing inspiration from its remarkable cultural history. Crime levels are low – Jordan is generally as safe as or safer than many major cities in the US or Europe.
The only area the US State Department doesn't recommend visiting these days is a small area near the Syrian border – but there's still an entire country to be discovered.
Okay, that's good to know. So what exactly is this Jordan Pass thing?
Glad you asked! The Jordanian Ministry of Tourism and Antiquities in cooperation with the Jordan Tourism Board introduced the Jordan Pass in late 2015 with the express goal of making it easier for foreign tourists to see more of the country at a lower cost.
It’s already extremely popular – basically it’s the key to a smooth tourist experience in Jordan, allowing you to see all the sights without any hassle. There are more than 40 attractions included.
40! Really? That's a lot! What if I'm only interested in 10?
That’s fine – you'll still save a ton of time and money with the Jordan Pass. It gives you free entrance to all included attractions. So it doesn’t take long before the Jordan Pass starts paying for itself.
Hmmm. I’m still not sure. Can you give me an example?
Sure. Take the ancient stone city of Petra – an attraction at the top of almost everyone’s Jordan wish list. A day pass to Petra normally costs about $70.
And then you’ll for sure want to see Jerash – knows as the Rome away from Rome – and that costs about $14. So visiting those two attractions alone costs $84.
Compare that to the Jordan Pass – which costs as little as $99 and includes entrance to basically everything. It’s a real bargin.
That seems like a pretty good deal, I gotta admit.
It is! And it gets better. Not only does the Jordan Pass save you money, it also saves you time by allowing you to avoid lines to purchase tickets on-site. It’s like a VIP pass to Jordan’s top attractions.
And less time in line means more time inside marvelling at the ruins or getting that killer selfie where ancient kings once stood.
This Jordan Pass sounds better and better. I wonder!
… Oh! I almost forgot. When you stay in Jordan for at least three nights, the Jordan Pass also waives your tourist visa fee – which normally costs $56.
Wow! That was my next question actually. What about a visa? It’s free?
Yep, with the Jordan Pass and a three-night stay.
Cool. But I bet the visa application process can be a hassle. How many months in advance do I need to contact the embassy?
You don’t have to contact the embassy at all. If you purchase the Jordan Pass before travelling to Jordan, you can just show it at the airport and receive your visa upon arrival.
Seriously? Sounds like it time to start looking at flights. But how long does the pass last?
Once activated, the Jordan Pass is valid for two weeks – plenty of time to explore everything the country has to offer. But you can also buy the Jordan Press far in advance or even as a present for someone else. It can activated up to 12 months after purchase.
Nice. So let me get this straight, with the Jordan Pass I won’t have any visa hassles, I get to skip the ticket line at Petra and other attractions, and I save a boatload of cash?
That’s right. Did I mention you also gain access to downloadable digital brochures for the all the attractions?
No. But you didn’t have to. I want to know how I get my hands on the Jordan Pass.
It's simple – just go to www.jordanpass.jo. You can buy the pass online and it will be emailed to you as a PDF. Show it on your phone or print it off – it's up to you!
Access to all the wonders of Jordan are only a few clicks away.
Awesome. I’m checking flights as we speak.
Have a great trip!
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)