Aqaba receives 86,000 tourists in January
Aqaba receives 86,000 foreign and local tourists in January, marking an increase of 103 per cent at a two-night stay rate (JT file)
AMMAN — The Aqaba Special Economic Zone Authority (ASEZA) on Tuesday announced that the gulf city received a "record" 86,000 local and foreign tourists during January.
ASEZA Deputy Chairman and Commissioner for Economic Development and Tourism Hamza Haj Hassan on Tuesday said that this number reflects ASEZA's "strategic" plan in the tourism sector, the Jordan News Agency, Petra, reported.
He said that the number of tourists in January marked an increase of nearly 103 per cent at a two-night stay rate, where the number of Jordanians reached 48,000 visitors, accounting for 55 per cent, and 38,000 foreign tourists.
The percentage of hotel reservations during the same month was nearly 50 per cent, recording an increase of 84 per cent, and the highest percentage was for 4-star hotels.
He added that the tourist port of Aqaba received two tourist ships carrying 3,000 tourists, while Wadi Rum received 12,000 tourists during January, stressing that the authority seeks to increase these numbers through tourism plans and programmes.
Hajj Hassan pointed out that these figures came as a result of the programmes and activities implemented by ASEZA within its strategic plan, the most important of which is the launch of the Aqaba Carnival for Tourism and Shopping and the Aqaba Waves Festival.
He added that such activities contributed to activating local and foreign tourism movement despite the difficult regional conditions.
In light of halting 23 charter routes to Aqaba, the ASEZA seeks to find new tourist markets, mainly Saudi Arabia, whose tourists to Aqaba increased by 55 per cent in January, he added.
Hashtags
Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles
Ammon
10 hours ago
- Ammon
Unemployment in Jordan – First quarter of 2025
Raad Mahmoud Al-Tal The Labor Force Survey, done every three months by Jordan's Department of Statistics, gives useful data about unemployment. The survey includes 16,560 households across all parts of the country. People are asked if they looked for a job in the past four weeks, following international methods. In the first quarter of 2025, the unemployment rate in Jordan was 21.3 per cent, slightly lower than the same period in 2024 (by 0.1 per cent). This small drop could show that the labor market is improving slowly, possibly because of better economic growth early this year. Over the last three years, unemployment went down by 1.5 percentage points, which is a good sign for job creation. However, there is a clear difference between men and women. Unemployment for men rose to 18.6 per cent, while for women it dropped to 31.2 per cent. This may be because some sectors that hire more women have improved recently. Also, 40 per cent of unemployed people have less than a high school education, while 60 per cent finished high school or more. This shows that many job seekers may not have the right skills for the job market. It also shows the need for better education and job training. Among those who have jobs, 46.4 per cent did not finish high school, 10.3 per cent have a high school diploma, and 43 per cent have more than a high school education. This means many jobs still go to workers with fewer qualifications, while university graduates may struggle to find jobs that fit their degrees. The low percentage of high school graduates in the labor force shows that this level of education may not be enough to get a good job. Jordan needs stronger vocational and technical education to help more people get useful skills. Even though unemployment for women has gone down, women's participation in the economy is still very low. Only 14.5 per cent of women were part of the workforce in early 2025, compared to 51.2 per cent of men. This big gap shows that women still face many challenges, like fewer job options, family responsibilities, and work conditions that don't support them. To improve this, the country needs to create more flexible jobs and support women's economic role. Foreign workers made up 44 per cent of all workers in Q1 2025, down from 44.7 per cent in 2022. This small drop may be the result of new labor policies or better job chances for Jordanians. This is a good sign for reducing local unemployment. In short, Jordan still faces high unemployment. The main problems include high joblessness among men, low involvement of women in the workforce, and a mismatch between what people study and what jobs are available. Jordan must improve vocational training, support the private sector, attract more investment, and create jobs. It should also help women and people with lower education levels join the labor market more easily.
Roya News
4 days ago
- Roya News
Crown Prince: After a long journey, the dream is now a reality
Crown Prince Hussein of Jordan shared an emotional message with the nation on Friday after Jordan's national football team clinched its historic qualification for the FIFA World Cup. In a video posted to his official Instagram account, with a simple yet powerful caption, 'After a long journey, the dream is now a reality. This is for every Jordanian who believed in the dream.' This marks the first time in the country's history that the national team has qualified for the FIFA World Cup, a moment Jordanians have been dreaming of for decades. The victory sparked celebrations across the kingdom.
Jordan News
03-06-2025
- Jordan News
Jordanian Expats' Remittances Drive Increased Demand for Dinar Ahead of Eid - Jordan News
Jordanian Expats' Remittances Drive Increased Demand for Dinar Ahead of Eid Firas Sultan, the representative of the financial and banking sector at the Jordan Chamber of Commerce, confirmed a noticeable surge in demand for the Jordanian dinar at local exchange companies ahead of Eid al-Adha and the summer season. اضافة اعلان Sultan attributed this uptick to a significant increase in remittances from Jordanian expatriates, which typically double during festive periods to support their families during the holiday. This results in a higher conversion of foreign currencies into dinars. He emphasized that these remittances are a key source of foreign currency for the local market and directly contribute to strengthening monetary reserves, while also boosting the purchasing power of Jordanian households—especially as they prepare for Eid. According to data from the Central Bank of Jordan, remittances from Jordanians abroad rose by 3% in the first quarter of this year, reaching $889 million. Sultan also noted that the return of thousands of Jordanian expats to spend the Eid holiday in the Kingdom, along with increased tourism activity, further drives demand for the dinar. He stressed the importance of this financial activity in supporting the national economic cycle. He praised the Central Bank's prudent monetary policy and its role in maintaining confidence in the local currency, highlighting ongoing communication between the Chamber and the Bank to address challenges faced by the sector. —(Petra)
