Khaberni - Tourism experts emphasized the importance of launching maritime tourist programs through Aqaba to make it an attraction point for incoming tourism, stressing that the "sea crossing" is an essential and effective station in promoting tourism in Jordan.
They pointed out the need to improve services and develop the port to strongly enter what is called "port tourism," according to Al-Ghad.
It is noted that the number of visitors to the kingdom coming through the sea crossing, Aqaba, reached 101.2 thousand visitors during the past seven months, making up only 2.5% of the total visitors to the kingdom, which amounts to 3.979 million visitors.
In this context, the head of the Tourism Committee in the nineteenth House of Representatives, Magdi Al-Yacoub, sees the port as an important and essential point in promoting the kingdom.
He emphasized the importance of developing and improving the services provided by the port to make it an essential station for receiving visitors to the kingdom through the sea crossing. He highlighted the need to launch maritime tourist programs through the sea crossing to make it an attraction point for incoming tourism.
He elaborated on the necessity of providing all services and equipping the port with various infrastructure and tourist services.
The Deputy Head of the Specialized Tourism Transport Association, Mahmoud Al-Khasawneh, emphasized the importance of "cruise tourism," which should be focused on and contributes significantly to promoting the kingdom and increasing tourist numbers.
Cruise tourism depends on programs and sea trips through large tourist ships, which are available on board with all tourist services and travel between ports of several countries.
Al-Khasawneh, who was occupying the position of Incoming Tourism Officer at the Travel and Tourism Agents Association, said that expanding and developing the port or establishing a new port is a new impetus that contributes to reshaping the tourism process and re-attracting the owners of large cruise companies and the owners of foreign incoming tourism companies.
In turn, tourism expert Dr. Nidal Malou Al-Ain emphasized the importance of focusing on providing services, infrastructure, and effective marketing for the port, considering it the sole sea crossing in Jordan in addition to the necessity of coordination with the organization of sea travel tourism and offering incentives encouraging tourism offices and companies as well as encouraging investment in the port along with the establishment of nautical activities, beach events, and diving sports.
Malou Al-Ain pointed out that the modest numbers crossing into the kingdom through the port need effective programs and plans to increase them.
Malou Al-Ain highlighted the importance of intensifying marketing in all its forms and methods in addition to establishing marine activities on the shores of Aqaba and attracting tourism investments.
