Around 70,000 vacationers visited Aqaba in February — ASEZA

AMMAN — Tens of thousands of tourists visited Aqaba in February to enjoy winter in the warm Red Sea resort, an official at the Aqaba Special Economic Zone Authority (ASEZA) said Monday. 

ASEZA Commissioner for Economic Development and Investment Affairs Sharhabeel Madi told The Jordan Times over the phone that between 60,000 and 70,000 vacationers visited the southern city — 330km south of Amman — during February, which used to be a low season for tourism. 

Madi said the majority of the visitors were Jordanian vacationers from across the Kingdom. 

The increased tourism activity, he noted, was due to the month-long Aqaba Carnival that included discount rates by three-, four- and five-star hotels, and land and air transport companies. 

The promotional campaign, from January 31 until February 29, was launched under the slogan “Come to warm weather” for the second year, targeting local tourists to escape the cold weather in Amman and other governorates. 

It aimed at increasing the number of visitors to the port city in February, which usually sees the lowest number of tourists during the year, Madi added. 

Mustafa Al Kaylani wrote on his Facebook page that he went to Aqaba during this year’s and last year’s carnivals, and he will go every year, describing the trip there as “exciting”. 

Madi said the festival will be organised every year, with ASEZA having gained more experience in launching promotional campaigns. 

The carnival included several artistic and musical activities, he added. 

In comparison with February last year, the ASEZA official said turnout was higher, as hotels registered a 25 to 30 per cent rise in occupancy rates. 

“The good thing about this year’s event is that tourists from various parts of the Kingdom and from various walks of life came to Aqaba,” he noted. 

Madi said the authority plans to launch a number of initiatives this year to attract more local and international tourists to the port city but declined to give further details.