Aqaba, February 25 (Petra) -- Aqaba's tourism sector experienced a surge in January, receiving a total of 86,000 visitors, both local and foreign, according to an official.

Deputy Chair of the Board of Commissioners of the Aqaba Special Economic Zone Authority and Commissioner for Economic Development and Tourism attributed the increase in the number of visitors to the "effective" strategic tourism plan implemented by the authority.

In a statement on Tuesday, Haj Hassan noted that the number of visitors represented a 103% increase compared to previous periods, with an average stay of two nights.

Among these, 48,000 were Jordanians (55% of the total), and 38,000 were foreign tourists (45%). Hotel occupancy during the same period reached approximately 50%, showing an 84% increase, with 4-star hotels seeing the highest demand.

The Aqaba Tourist Port played a role, receiving two cruise ships with 3,000 tourists, while Wadi Rum attracted 12,000 visitors in January. Haj Hassan emphasised that the authority aims to boost the numbers through targeted tourism initiatives.

He credited the success to programs and events launched under the authority’s strategic plan, including the Aqaba Tourism and Shopping Carnival and the Aqaba Waves Festival, which significantly contributed to local and international tourism growth despite the region's challenging geopolitical climate.

The authority collaborated with the Tourism Promotion Authority, the Aqaba Chamber of Commerce, and the public and private sectors to solidify Aqaba's position as a prime tourist destination and to foster tourism and trade.

In response to the suspension of 23 direct flights to Aqaba, the authority is exploring new tourism markets, particularly in Saudi Arabia, where the number of visitors from the Kingdom surged by 55% in January.

//Petra// AK

25/02/2025 18:29:07