Khaberni - The United Nations Organization for Tourism announced the selection of North Azraq Village among the best tourist villages in the world for 2025, as part of the fifth session of the global initiative for tourist villages, after the village met all the criteria and requirements adopted by the organization.
According to a statement from the Ministry of Tourism and Antiquities, this achievement is a culmination of national efforts to enhance sustainable rural tourism and empower local communities, embodying the distinction of North Azraq with its unique natural, cultural, and tourism components that reflect the authentic Jordanian identity and highlight the environmental and civilizational diversity characteristic of the kingdom.
On this occasion, the Minister of Tourism and Antiquities, Dr. Emad Hijazin, said that the selection of North Azraq Village among the best tourist villages in the world for 2025 represents a national achievement reflecting Jordan’s pioneering status in the field of sustainable tourism and confirms the success of the efforts made in developing tourist villages and empowering local communities.
He added, "This selection of North Azraq Village comes as a result of the joint cooperation between the Ministry of Tourism and Antiquities, the New Azraq Municipality, the Royal Society for the Conservation of Nature, the Tourism Promotion Authority, the Department of Antiquities, and the local community," confirming that the ministry will continue to support rural initiatives that contribute to creating job opportunities and stimulating the local economy.
The ministry stated in its announcement, "This achievement is an important step towards achieving the goals of the economic modernization vision in the tourism sector, by working to enhance the competitiveness of the sector and enhance the kingdom’s position as a global tourist destination."
The villages nominated within the United Nations Tourism Organization initiative undergo a comprehensive evaluation based on a collection of areas, conditions, and requirements that embody the standards of sustainable tourism development, where North Azraq Village has met all these conditions, qualifying it to be among the best tourist villages in the world for 2025.
It is noted that the village of Al-Sal' in southern Tafilah Governorate was selected among the best tourist villages in the world for 2023, while the village of Umm Qais in Irbid Governorate was selected among the best tourist villages in the 2022 session, reflecting Jordan's continued prominent presence on the global tourism map and its ongoing commitment to implementing sustainable tourism and comprehensive rural development concepts.
North Azraq is located in northeast Jordan, about 120 kilometers from Amman and 90 kilometers from Zarqa. It is characterized by a basaltic region formed by ancient volcanoes and includes prominent historical sites such as Qasr Amra, one of the most important examples of early Islamic art, Azraq Castle, which has been used from the end of the third century AD until the Great Arab Revolt, and Qasr Al-Harraneh, which contains Greek inscriptions on stones from a previous Roman or Byzantine building.
North Azraq is also famous for its natural sites, such as the Azraq Water Reserve for preserving the oasis and endangered fish species, the Shaumari Reserve for breeding rare animals, and the Dahaq Reserve, which includes rare geological formations. North Azraq is the center of the Azraq basin and oasis and houses Azraq Castle. The Azraq International Festival has been held here since 1993, and it contains the Azraq Development Tourism Project, established by royal grant in 2008 at the Azraq Oasis Center.
