Cruise ships arriving at the port of Aqaba account for 20 percent of the total number of cruise ships in operation worldwide, said a stakeholder.
Commissioner for Tourism and Environment in the Aqaba Special Economic Zone Authority (ASEZA) Nidal Majali told The Jordan Times on Sunday that 34 cruise ships are expected to arrive at the port of Aqaba until the end of 2022, carrying tens of thousands of tourists on board.
All aboard! Join the 63 cruise ships that brought 120,000 tourists to Aqaba in 2019, and explore Wadi Rum and Aqaba, the two destinations selected in @WorldofCruising’s “Most Unforgettable Cruises to book for 2021.” https://t.co/4cqMSvJnGL pic.twitter.com/fPrquXDrSm
— Embassy of Jordan US (@JoEmbassyUS) January 13, 2020
“Cruise tourism in Jordan significantly contributes to the local economic growth, and Aqaba port [Jordan’s only seaport] is attracting cruise tourists, particularly during winter,” Majali highlighted, noting that around 80 cruise ships arrive at the port each year, bringing between 50,000-70,000 tourists.
Two cruise ships to dock in Aqaba tomorrow with 5,300 touristshttps://t.co/68aj74i2Qh pic.twitter.com/bvoeYMzBuL
— ammannewspaper عمان الأردنية (@ammannewspaper) October 10, 2019
The majority of cruise tourists are German, American, British and French, he said.
He added that the first cruise of the winter season arrived on Friday in the form of a ship carrying 2,180 German tourists. During the first four months this year, around 18,000 tourists came on 32 cruise ships.
The Port of #Aqaba situated in southern Jordan on the north shore of the Gulf of Aqaba is welcoming #cruise ships from different international cruise lines. A stop in Aqaba port will not only give you the access t o this sunny beautiful coastal town but also to Petra and Wadi Rum pic.twitter.com/g7b42xkyOc
— Axis Destination Management (Axis DMC Jordan) (@axisdmc) July 4, 2021
A new cruise port is scheduled to open in January 2023, according to Majali, who said that “the new cruise port will allow cruise tourists to have an improved experience”.
