Jordan makes a comeback

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Middle East travellers have started rediscovering what Jordan has to offer; from historical sites to Dead Sea retreats offered by properties such as the Mövenpick Resort & Spa Dead Sea.

When, on November 9, 2005, a series of Al-Qaeda linked bomb attacks devastated the Grand Hyatt, Radisson SAS and Days Inn hotels in Amman, killing 60 people and injuring more than one hundred, the world recoiled in shock and Jordan's travel industry looked doomed.

To make matters worse, the conflict in neighbouring Lebanon in 2006 impacted the Levant region as a whole and hotel occupancy in Amman fell to 58%, down from 70% in 2005, according to HVS International's recent Jordan - Country Snapshot 2007 report.

But it would seem that you can't keep a great destination down, and the next two years saw the country dust itself off and get on with the job of rebuilding and remarketing. In fact, arrival figures to the country have been steadily increasing since 2006.

Currently, more than half of travellers to Jordan are from other Middle East countries, with the remainder coming from Europe, the US and now Japan. Most of this is business traffic, but the Jordanian Tourist Board (JTB) is now making a real push to lure more leisure travellers, promoting the wealth of attractions the region has to offer.

"In the language of numbers, we witnessed a 38% rise in the number of European tourists visiting Jordan in the first 10 months of 2007. We have also noticed the visitor patterns from Europe have begun to change, extending to longer periods in what is known as the ‘European season' explains JTB communications manager Tohama Nabulsi.

"Jordan is not trying to reposition itself as a safe destination - Jordan is a safe destination. The rising growth of international tourists coming to see its marvels is testament to their confidence in the safety and stability of the country."

Gerhard Stutz, general manager at the Four Seasons Hotel Amman, also believes that the tide is starting to turn in Jordan's favour.

"I think we have started the transition to change. I've recently been in the UK and Europe and from talking to the press and the industry I got the idea that we are starting to build people's confidence in Jordan again," he says.

"We just need to change perceptions of Jordan as an unsafe destination. It is part of the Middle East and is surrounded by countries that do have some turmoil. But Jordan is stable - we have to go out and persuade people of that. Plus, the Jordanian people are extremely nice, helpful and friendly."

Ever-expanding Amman

Amman is the modern, as well as the ancient, capital of the Hashemite Kingdom of Jordan and has a population of around two million. Located in the north-west, it spans an area of 19 hills each known as a ‘jabal'. The country's long and sometimes tumultuous history has seen it inhabited by several civilisations, notably the Nabateans.

The city is currently experiencing rapid growth - including the expansion of Queen Alia International Airport, the home of flag carrier Royal Jordanian Airlines - which is reshaping this ancient city into a commercial hub.

It was announced recently that as a oneworld member, Royal Jordanian will be the first airline in the Middle East to provide its passengers with OnAir's in-flight internet and mobile phone services, including email, SMS and voice calls.

Royal Jordanian president and CEO Samer Majali emphasises the importance the Amman-based airline is placing on looking to the future and being innovative.

"2007 has been a very good year for Royal Jordanian. We became the first Arab carrier to join oneworld - one of the world's major airline alliances - we won several awards and to top if off we are introducing this pioneering new service," he explains.

Although Royal Jordanian offers the most intra-regional services to Amman, the competition is hotting up with KSA-based low cost carrier (LCC) Sama starting a charter service to Amman in December. The flights are currently operating three times per week departing from King Fahad International Airport in Dammam and King Khaled International Airport in Riyadh.

"Amman shall be our first destination outside the GCC. We have chosen it in response to market demand and to serve the travellers and residents in the kingdom, as well as contributing to increased travel movement for business, family visits, or holidays," explains Sama CEO Andrew Cowen.

"The decision to go into Jordan has been ratified by the open skies initiative that has been embraced by the Jordan Government. Certainly in Saudi Arabia there are a significant number of people with a Jordanian or Syrian background who live there and want to travel back to their respective countries regularly.

"Until now they have been restricted in terms of capacity and relatively high fares. The booking demand for Amman so far has been fantastic. We have taken literally thousands of bookings both through our website and through travel agents - it's proving quite a success."

The Dead Sea

One of the main reasons Jordan is back on the radar is that it is the location for some of the most spectacular natural and man-made sites in the region - particularly The Dead Sea on the eastern coast.

The leading attraction at the Dead Sea is the warm seawater, which is several times saltier than normal and is rich in magnesium, sodium, potassium and bromine.

Called ‘Dead' because the unusually high salt content means no fish or water plants can live in it - its shores are the lowest point on Earth. The high salt content also means bathers can float effortlessly on their backs while soaking up the water's healthy minerals - a pastime long believed to have curative qualities.

Several of the Dead Sea resorts are becoming renowned for their high standards - such as the Kempinski Hotel Ishtar, which has only been open for 18 months and has already won the ‘Ultimate Escape' category in Bespoke luxury magazine's annual awards.

The hotel's general manager and Kempinski regional director, Duncan O'Rourke, attributes the win to the uniqueness of the Dead Sea as a destination.

"We have worked incredibly hard to create a superior holiday experience for guests by providing an escape from the every day world into the almost mystical reality of the Dead Sea...steeped in the history of ancient Babylon and with distinctive architecture," he says.

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