Jordan Tourism Board Jordan has been getting its well-deserved moment in the spotlight and this fascinating country is always creating news and novel angles – a storytellers’ dream. Reasons to visit the Near East’s most peaceful destination keep being created and we are excited to share them with you.
Jordan continues to welcome travelers in true Bedouin style. Hospitality is at the root of Bedouin culture and Jordanians are looking forward to saying to you and your clients, "ahlan wa sahlan fi al'urdun" - Welcome to Jordan!
ABOUT
A land steeped in history, Jordan is home to some of mankind's earliest settlements and villages. Relics of many of the world's great civilizations can still be seen today. Jordan has served as a strategic nexus connecting Asia, Africa and Europe. Thus, since the dawn of civilization, Jordan's geography has given it an important role to play as a conduit for trade and communications, connecting east and west, north and south. Jordan continues to play this role today.
What's New in Jordan
Um al-Jimal Joins UNESCO World Heritage List: We are thrilled to announce that Um al-Jimal has been officially added to the UNESCO World Heritage List this July! Known for its impressive ancient ruins, the earliest structures at Um al-Jimal date back to the first century AD, when it formed part of the Nabataean Kingdom. This addition highlights the importance of preserving ancient landmarks and offers visitors a unique glimpse into Jordan's rich cultural heritage. The captivating history and stunning architecture of Um al-Jimal is now recognized globally for its exceptional value.
Check out the full list of UNESCO World Heritage sites and other recognitions in Jordan here!
A Great Family Adventure in Jordan: Jordan will be showcased within a dedicated TV episode of Heliconia Productions Great Family Adventure series that is broadcast into +120 million households in the US, to +25M TV households internationally. Don't miss this thrilling 30-minute episode and get ready for an unforgettable journey as Nick, Emily and their two young children, Tucker and Parker adventure through Jordan and immerse themselves in authentic cultural experiences, exploring otherworldly sites and savoring traditional cuisine.
The episode is set to premiere in the U.S. on Bally Sports Network on July 20th and Outside TV on August 7th. It will also premiere in Canada on Water Network later this summer. Mark your calendars and don't miss out on their adventure!
Watch the trailer here!
The Ultimate Stargazing Destination: Throughout the year, Jordan becomes a popular destination for astronomy enthusiasts and skywatchers alike to catch spectacular starry displays and meteor showers. A few notable meteor events will illuminate Jordan's night skies this year, including the Perseid Meteor Shower (mid-July to late August), the Geminids Meteor Shower (mid-December) and the Leonid Meteor Shower (mid-November). Jordan's dark skies across desert areas like Wadi Rum and Feynan Ecolodge in the Wadi Araba area provide excellent conditions to witness these displays.
Jordan International Food Festival (JIFF): The JIFF kicks off in Amman from August 7-11, 2024 where attendees will enjoy the flavours from 97 vendors and 25 food trucks, live entertainment and more. Event details and information about local and international celebrity chefs are coming soon.
UNESCO Recognition - Jordan's National Dish: In 2023, UNESCO added Mansaf, the national dish of Jordan, to the representative list of the Intangible Cultural Heritage of Humanity. The dish contains rice, goat, or sheep meat and jameed, a dried yogurt sauce. Mansaf is typically served on a large tray with flat Arabic bread decorated with pine nuts or almonds. Mansaf has been a part of Jordanian culture for centuries and has maintained its status as one of the most cherished local dishes.
Jordan Trail 2024 Thru-Hike: The Jordan Trail will hold their Thru-Hike this fall, Oct. 11 - Nov. 20. This guided hiking experience includes licensed guides, transportation, meals, accommodations and more. Visit the Jordan Trail website for more information on how to join.
Wadi Rum Full Moon Desert Marathon 2024: The 15th annual Wadi Rum full moon desert marathon took place on May 24th, 2024! This event offers participants different distances, from a 5k fun run/guided walk to a full marathon, as well as packages inclusive of accommodation to fully enjoy an authentic Bedouin stay in the desert.
Jordan's First Dedicated Film Studio Opened September 23, 2023: Olivewood Film Studios, located just outside of Amman, consists of two 1,500 meter squared soundstages, plus 16 acres of backlot. The studio is expected to support Jordan's growing film industry. Feature films have been shot in the country in the last two decades including Rogue One: A Star Wars Story, Dune 1 & 2 and The Martian.
100 Best Suitable Sites in the World: Jordan's Azraq Wetland Reserve was recognized by the World Green Organization and has been categorized as one of the 100 best suitable sites in the world. This wetland is unique because it's a migratory stopover for various birds from three continents, resulting in it being a population destination for bird watching. Moreover, the wetland provides visitors with numerous outdoor and cultural experiences, including cycling and hiking activities and the opportunity to learn from local residents on how to cook cultural dishes.
Why you should travel to Jordan right now?
storystarters
Meaningful Travel Map of Jordan
Meaningful, Sustainable Travel
In 2018, The Jordan Tourism Board launched the Meaningful Travel Map of Jordan in partnership with Tourism Cares. The map highlights social enterprise experiences that are at once powerful and positive for both travelers and communities. Highlights include:
Carob House: One of the latest additions to the map is this regenerative female-led farm-to-table restaurant in a renovated old house in Madaba. It also serves as a community kitchen, café, and cultural space, showcasing the harmonious partnerships between Jordan's local farmers, food artisans, and chefs. The recipes curated and the dishes served at Carob House are nothing short of perfection, with a reimagined twist on some of the most loved local dishes.
Dar Ne'meh: Nestled in an idyllic olive grove, is a vibrant community where selective young women are trained a variety of useful skills. Many of whom become skilled female artisans, producing handicrafts who also offer visitors a creative experience.
Underground Amman Tour: A recent addition to the map, is this cultural walking tour of the murals and "calligraphiti" (calligraphy and graffiti) throughout the little streets of downtown Amman. This street art tour offers deep insight into the hidden artistic expression in Amman, revealing a new side to the ancient city.
Feynan Ecolodge: Solar-powered and off-the-grid, the 26-room Feynan Ecolodge is one of the top green accommodations in the world. The ecolodge supports the community by hiring local and by hiring women. The resort recycles water and uses alternative sources of energy.
Al Numeira Environmental Association: Bike, snack, and get dirty in their gardens and other projects, learning with one of the Rift Valley's newest social startups.
Bani Hamida Women's Weaving Project: Try your hand at traditional weaving, boosting women's rights and livelihoods.
Iraq al Amir Women's Cooperative: Learn traditional paper making, pottery and more with your family at this renowned centre for local training and knowledge.
Beit Khairat Souf: Beit Khairat Souf is a unique place that combines the elements of nature and allows visitors to experience some of the natural and tasty pleasures of Jordan. It is a historical and cultural heritage of the Batarseh family and is the perfect place to experience the tastes and traditions of the Jordanian culture. The goal of Beit Khairat Souf is to create a platform for local women to financially support themselves through opportunities for economic development in the heart of Souf.
Lumeyo: Join this mission to contribute to the reduction of textile waste through recycling sweaters suitable for weaving, to promote conscious fashion by creating practical products, to revive cultural heritage by creating new purpose for Bedouin handicraft tradition and empower local women by creating international demand that they can fulfill at home while also caring for family and animals.
Syrian Jasmine House: Celebrate multicultural Jordan by learning soap-making and crochet, helping their newest residents and women entrepreneurs.
Dana Biosphere Reserve: Covering more than 300 square kilometres of spectacular mountains and Wadis along the face of the Great Rift Valley, Dana Biosphere Reserve is Jordan's largest nature reserve.
Adventure Experiences
Hiking the Jordan Trail
The Jordan Trail is the first long-distance hiking trail in Jordan and crosses the entire country, from Um Qais in the north all the way to Aqaba in the south. Offering 650 kilometres and 36-40 days of hiking through diverse landscapes, travelling Jordan by foot is a practice as old as the ancient trails themselves.
The Jordan Trail Association (JTA), a non-governmental organization that manages it, organizes an annual fully supported Thru-Hike as part of its fundraising activities and support to the local communities that the trail passes through (75 towns and villages).
Several licensed tour operators and local hiking companies offer supported group hikes along the trail. In addition, accommodations depending on the region, are also provided. These include guest houses, hotels, eco-lodges, homestays with local families, camps and wild camping.
Off-the-beaten path: Eastern Jordan's desert
An under-explored desert with unexpected yet thrilling offerings is eastern Jordan's desert. A part of Jordan quite unknown, even to locals, can be the ultimate playground for adventurers.
Eastern Jordan's desert is a stark yet beautiful expanse hosting remote lodges, diverse wildlife, and hidden oases. As part of its many efforts, the Royal Society for the Conservation of Nature (RSCN) partially restored the ecosystem of a once thriving oasis for migrating birds, and now you can visit lagoons in the Azraq Wetland Reserve. The region also includes cultural experiences with local Chechen communities and opportunities for desert safaris, showcasing the area's unique flora and fauna.
Here's a deeper look into Jordan
The "wow" factor of an adventure in Jordan lies far beyond its otherworldly landscapes, it is also about the stories exchanged with the people encountered along the journey. Here's a deeper look at Jordan:
Cycling the Jordan Bike Trail
The Jordan Bike Trail is a 730km, mixed-surface bike route that crosses the entire length of the beautiful Hashemite Kingdom of Jordan. Starting from the North in Um Qais and ending in the Southern port of Aqaba, it passes through an impressive variety of historical and natural wonders. The trail begins with rolling hills, olive groves, and farms in the North; continues across the dramatic canyons of the Dead Sea region; meanders through the remarkable landscapes of Dana, Petra, and Wadi Rum – before finally splashing into the Red Sea.
There are a number of ways to experience the Jordan Bike Trail, from a fully supported trip without the need to carry any gear or reserve accommodation, to a minimalist bikepacker adventure, or anything in between. You can join a small group tour, create a tour with the level of support you desire, or ride the trail independently.
Diving in Aqaba
A little-known destination for divers, Aqaba showcases some of the best dive sights in the Red Sea, while Jordan’s coastline represents the northern most outcropping of coral reef in the world. Coral reefs in the Gulf of Aqaba offer 21 diving locations for the exploration of diverse, colorful and unique coral reefs. To meet tourism demand but also protect the area's marine life, some of the coral reefs were relocated. The newly created dive sites (with replanted coral that has steadily grown up to two inches per year), just in front of the Aqaba Marine Park, opened to the public in 2018.
There are many outdoor adventures to enjoy in Jordan including some of the following - canyoning 410 metres (1345 ft) below sea level in Wadi Mujib, rock climbing in Wadi Rum, scuba diving in Aqaba, riding on a camel or in a hot air balloon.
Holy Jordan
Faith Experiences
Jordan is an elaborate mosaic of biblical history that dates back to the times of Genesis. A well-traveled bridge between east and west, sea and desert, Old and New Testaments, this land east of the Jordan River that in ancient times was a designated place of refuge is the only area in the Holy Land that links the lives of Abraham, Lot, Moses, Job, David, Ruth, Elijah, John the Baptist, Jesus and the Apostle Paul. Reminders of their stories are everywhere in Jordan.
Bethany Beyond the Jordan is like no other place on earth. As the birthplace of Christianity, it is of profound importance to believers. Now a UNESCO World Heritage Site, Bethany Beyond the Jordan welcomes pilgrims from around the world. However, it is just one of the many Old and New Testament locations in Jordan easily accessible to pilgrims who make the journey.
Madaba, dubbed “The City of Mosaics”, is part of the biblical land of Moab, just off the storied King’s Highway. Madaba’s real masterpiece, in the Orthodox Church of Saint George, is the 6th century AD mosaic map of Jerusalem and the Holy Land – the earliest religious map of the Holy Land in any form to survive from antiquity.
Today, Madaba is within easy driving distance of many biblical locations, including Mount Nebo; Um Rassas; Mukawir; the Dead Sea; Lot’s Cave; Amman; and Bethany Beyond the-Jordan Baptism Site.
Food Scene with a social twist
Food lovers are having a field day in Jordan, particularly if they're looking for a social twist to their food. Here are a few highlights:
Wineries: Some say the wine Jesus was served at the Last Supper came from what is now Northern Jordan. Winemaking in Jordan dates back many centuries, but the modern wine industry was only revived in 1975 using imported vines. Wine is grown in northern Jordan, where higher elevation and soil provide the right conditions for growing superior grapes. In Amman, enjoy an evening of wine-tasting at the Zumot Winery headquarters where you will sample and learn how some of Jordan’s finest organic wine is made. Pop by JR Wines tasting room in the center of Amman to sample more incredible Jordanian wines.
Olive oil tastings: Not widely known, Jordan produces some of the best olive oil in the world, offering a delightful sensory journey through guided tastings of its extra virgin varieties. Known for a fruity aroma and superior health benefits, including high folic acid and monounsaturated fats, Jordan's olive oil is both food and medicine. Among the top 5% of ultra-premium producers globally, Jordan is the only Arab Middle Eastern country in the top 100 Extra Virgin Olive Oil World Rankings.
One of the World’s Best Vegan Destinations: Jordan is a wonderful destination for foodies, including vegan ones. Food from this region was historically light on meat and other animal products and rich in legumes, rice, fruit, vegetables, olive oil, and bread. There’s no shortage of delicious vegan foods. Baked breads and taboon flatbread is wonderful with hummus or ful, a warm dish made with fava beans, garlic, lemon juice, olive oil and chilli. Falafel, olives, pickles, wonderful fresh salads and many other specialties await in Jordan.
Food with Meaning: Carob House - A female-led farm-to-table restaurant and social enterprise, that also serves as a community kitchen, café, and cultural space, showcasing the harmonious partnerships between Jordan's local farmers, food artisans, and chefs. Bait Khayrat Souf Kitchen and Garden - Serves up food and cooking lessons while providing training and jobs to local women Beit Sitti - Meaning "My grandmother's house," in Arabic, this Amman restaurant run by three sisters offer lessons in cooking and Jordanian heritage.
As part of the Gordon Ramsey: Uncharted series, "A Royal Taste of Jordan" episode is set to air on June 23rd, 2024. Follow Chef Gordon Ramsay as he explores Jordan's diverse landscapes, unearthing vibrant flavors to craft a regal feast at the ancient city of Petra.
WELLNESS RETREATS, LUXURY ESCAPES and accommodations
Home of the Dead Sea
Dead Sea Pampering: Spend a day floating in the buoyant therapeutic waters of the Dead Sea and being treated with the natural healing mud. Get personalized pampering at one of the area’s world-class spas like the 10,000 Sqm (107,639 sq ft) Resense Spa in Kempinski Hotel Ishtar, Dead Sea. It’s the largest spa in the region with the largest hydro-pool near the Dead Sea.
Luxury Camping: Jordan’s Wadi Rum desert hosts luxury campsites and dining experiences surrounded by gorgeous mountains, red-coloured sand dunes, and a magnificent night sky filled with stunning stars. These luxury camps offer luxuriously furnished tents with beds, air-conditioning, Wi-Fi, running water and wonderful Bedouin hospitality.
Romantic Beach Destination: The coastal city of Aqaba offers clear sunny skies, sandy beaches, water activities in the Red Sea, luxurious resorts and amazing restaurants. Whether you stay at the Al Manara, Mövenpick Resort & Residences Aqaba, the brand new Cloud7 Residence, Ayla Aquaba, or another property, there are plenty of places to be pampered by the Red Sea.
Hammamat Ma’in Hot Springs: The secluded Hammamat Ma’in Hot Springs is a tranquil oasis in the desert, near a hot springs waterfall 260 metres (853 ft) below sea level.
Yoga retreats: Jordan's diverse backdrops offer transformative yoga retreats from serene forest nature reserves to the majestic Wadi Rum desert. The destination's natural beauty and warm bedouin hospitality create a perfect sanctuary for those seeking harmony and peace.
Bedouin camps to luxury lodging, accommodation in Jordan have a story to tell
In the heart of Wadi Rum’s majestic desert, stands the incredible Sun City Camp offering serenity and spiritual soothing experience of living in the desert and enjoying the simple Bedouin life of the valley with its unmatched authentic charm and beauty. Such an experience is featured through variety of high standard services, amenities, and accommodation options to choose from alongside a wide range of relaxing and adventurous recreational activities. The camp is located in Wadi Rum about 60 km from Aqaba city and 313 km from Amman.
Petra has recently welcomed two new luxurious hotels: the Petra Moon Luxury Hotel and the H Luxury Hotel. Petra Moon Luxury Hotel offers elegant design and stunning views of the Petra Mountains, ensuring an unforgettable stay. The H Luxury Hotel provides state-of-the-art facilities and bespoke experiences for discerning travelers. Both hotels enhance Petra's appeal as a premier travel destination, combining modern comfort with the region's rich history.
Arts & culture
The Jordan Museum is located in the dynamic new downtown area of Ras al-‘Ayn and aims to be a jumping off point for visitors to entice them to explore the cultural sites and cities in Jordan. Presenting the history and cultural heritage of Jordan in a series of beautifully designed galleries, The Jordan Museum serves as a comprehensive national centre for learning and knowledge that reflects Jordan’s history and culture, and presents the ongoing story of Jordan’s past, present, and future.
Arab fashion has captured our fascination for hundreds of years and the Tiraz Centre is an interactive museum where the region’s history is told through textiles and clothing. The Centre’s Widad Kamel Collection is home to one of the most significant archives of Arab fashion and costume heritage.
Darat al Funan is a home for the arts housed in six renovated historical buildings and warehouses, with a restored archaeological site in the garden. It is located just a few minutes from downtown Amman's King Faisal Street, and from Jabal al Weibdeh's Paris Circle.
From the very beginning Darat al Funan has played a pivotal role in hosting, exhibiting and supporting artists from the Arab world, from modern masters such as Adam Henein, Fahrelnissa Zeid, Farid Belkahia, Marwan, Rafa’ al Nasiri, and Shaker Hassan al Said, to contemporaries such as Adel Abidin, Ahlam Shibli, Amal Kenawy, Emily Jacir, Hrair Sarkissian, and Mona Hatoum. Many artists had their first solo exhibition in the region at Darat al Funun.
Ancient Architecture
The oldest residence in the city, located just a stones-throw from the bustling souks of downtown, the Duke’s Diwan has an open door policy of accepting all curious willing to climb the steep staircase leading to its storied rooms.
Built in 1924 by Abdul Rahman Madi, the space at 12 King Faisal Street serves as one of the finest reminders available of the architectural heritage of Old Amman. Named “Duke” in honor of its benefactor( Mamdouh Bisharat the Duke of Mukheiheh), and “Diwan” in reference to the Arabic word for the room of the house always open to guests, the modern Duke’s Diwan has become a meeting place for creators and visionaries from near and far to convene in moments of artistic celebration and contemplation.
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Jordan in the Press
How To Get There
Royal Jordanian Airlines is the national carrier of Jordan with direct non-stop flights to Amman from JFK, Chicago, Detroit, Toronto and Montreal. RJ is part of the OneWorld Alliance.
United Airlines is the only American carrier with direct non-stop flights to Amman from Washington, Dulles IAD, three times per week. United is a member of the Star Alliance.
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tartanbond | PR Consultants | Jordan Tourism Board, N.A. | visitjordan@tartanbond.com
Janine Jervis | Communications Director | Jordan Tourism Board, N.A. | Janine@visitjordan.com