Jordan reinforces its ‘Switzerland of the Middle East’ status to UK market
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Jordan is the “Switzerland of the Middle East” – a safe place to visit for British tourists seeking a diverse range of authentic experiences.
That was the message from Jordan’s Minister of Antiquities, Nayef Al-Fayez, who at this week’s World Travel Market (WTM) in London told Travel Daily UK his mission was to eradicate misconceptions about his “amazing country”.
“Jordan has always been a calm and quiet oasis offering authentic experiences and genuine hospitality,” he said. “We are re-launching our UK campaign this year because we have a lot of new stories to tell.”
Jordan’s Ministry of Tourism and Antiquities has introduced a number of initiatives designed to get visitors to stay for longer and explore what the kingdom has to offer.
They include a new unified ticket known as the ‘Jordan Pass’, which enables visitors to access several tourist sites, historic locations and museums.
Valid for two weeks and priced just JOD 70 (US$99), it is being described as the “ultimate sightseeing package”.
“It is a shame for someone to visit Jordan for just a few days,” said Al-Fayez. “You really need two weeks to experience what Jordan has to offer.
“When the pass is fully launched we expect it to have a significant impact on length of stay.”
Jordan is also promoting its new Lawrence of Arabia experience – a “unique trail” that follows the desert warrior’s journey through Jordan taking in several key destinations and landmarks including Aqaba, Wadi Rum, Amman, Azraq and the kingdom’s miles of dunes.
Jordan is also inviting visitors to experience “Mars on Earth” at Wadi Rum where the new blockbuster action adventure movie, The Martian, was filmed
Featuring Hollywood star Matt Damon as a man on a mission to Mars, The Martian, directed by Ridley Scott, was filmed on location in March 2015 and Jordan’s majestic landscape rolling deserts, pink sandstone cliffs and narrow valleys play backdrop to scenes throughout the film.
“Tourists visiting Wadi Rum can now see the [fictional] space station and the space vehicle [used on set],” said Al-Fayez.
“So you can experience the real story of Matt Damon there.”
It is hoped Jordan’s new experience-based tourism offerings will boost arrivals from the UK, which dipped between January and July this year Al-Fayez conceded.
“But since then some of our key source markets including the UK and Europe have bounced back,” he said. “We hope that trend will continue.”
It is hoped more UK tour operators will sell or package Jordan’s new experiences, he Al-Fayez added.
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