Written by: Engineer Zaid Nafaa, the Secretary-General of Azm Party
A serious mission for ambitious engineers
The ABCs of engineering, as we know, begin with planning and end with execution. Between planning and execution lies the vision, capability, and determination to turn ideas into tangible reality.
I assert that Engineer Shadi Al-Majali, Chairman of the Commissioners' Council of the Aqaba Special Economic Zone Authority, and Engineer Adnan Al-Swa'ir (Abu Shadi), Chairman of the Commissioners' Council of the Petra Region Authority for Tourism Development, wake up every morning with a genuine passion for work, achievement, and development in their minds and hearts. Both realize that their main responsibility is predominantly economic, and their success is measured by their ability to make a qualitative leap in Aqaba, Petra, and indeed in the entire Golden Triangle area, beyond the sensitivity of powers and roles.
"A comprehensive economic vision for the Golden Triangle".
The essentials of this task require preparing a comprehensive and integrated economic map for the Golden Triangle, a challenging task based on clear economic policies and connected to an overall developmental plan, starting with:
• A comprehensive urban development plan.
• Expanding King Hussein International Airport in Aqaba.
• Building a modern highway (Autostade) that links the capital Amman with the new city (Amra) leading to the fully integrated, interconnected Golden Triangle.
• Rethinking the geographical expansion of Aqaba through innovative engineering solutions that address the narrowing of the historical waterfront, which has been largely consumed by buildings, presenting an obstacle to future urban and tourist expansion. Thus, the idea of cutting a channel from the southern area to bring sea water inland was proposed, ensuring Aqaba does not stop at its shores.
Today, Aqaba houses nearly six thousand classified hotel rooms - a significant number though insufficient to enable Jordan to reach the ranks of global tourist destinations, compared to some regional countries, and to become a pioneering regional center in global tourism. This is more than important and requires an expansion in infrastructure, a clear and attractive investment map, offering major and well-thought-out incentives that enhance investor confidence and are more attractive than regional countries, helping in employing Jordanians to reduce unemployment.
"Marketing the Golden Triangle as a single icon".
Linking Aqaba, Petra, and Wadi Rum into a unified marketing identity, considering it a single tourist icon, constitutes an important strategic entry point. The journey starts with the charm of Petra, awakens on the shores of the Red Sea, before the tourist views the sunset in the Moon Valley (Wadi Rum), in a comprehensive experience that blends history, nature, and relaxation.
According to statistics, nearly 70% of global tourism is linked to beach tourism and charter flights, indicating that developing the infrastructure is a fundamental element for going global.
Tourism... Jordan's Oil
Jordan is an open museum, and tourism represents the lifeline of the national economy - indeed, it is the real oil of Jordan. Thus, any real economic transformation in Aqaba and Petra must be based on new unconventional tools and a true partnership between the public and private sectors, based on long-term strategic planning.
Aqaba is not merely a port, and Petra is not just a visitor center for selling tickets. Both are pillars in a promising national economy that can - if planned well - Make a comprehensive developmental impact that reflects on Jordan as a whole.
In the end; -
We are faced with a serious national economic mission for partisan and ambitious engineers who recognize the historical responsibility resting on their shoulders. Aspiration for global status is not just a slogan, but a comprehensive project that starts with a clear vision, translates into practical policies, and ends with tangible results.
We wish them both success, provision, and rectitude for the good of the country and its prosperity.
