Jordan Tours and News

 AMMAN — The ancient city of Petra recorded in 2018 its second largest number of visitors since it was established as an official tourism destination, an official has said.

 AMMAN — Overseeing the Edom Plateau, south of Jordan, between Tafila and Busayra, stands the Edomite-Nabataean mountain stronghold, Sela, a fortress carved into the mountain, dating back more than 3,000 years.

 AMMAN – Tourism revenues have surpassed the $5-billion mark in 2018, marking an 8 per cent increase from last year’s $4.6 billion, according to data released by the Central Bank of Jordan (CBJ) on Monday.

 AMMAN — An established authority who has obtained a renowned reputation in music, prominent composer and arranger Tareq Al Nasser, is still best known for his cross-cultural compositions.

 FUHEIS — A number of young Jordanians have recently taken it upon themselves to tour the city of Fuheis to perform music and give away gifts to children who are in need.

 AMMAN — The United Nations Population Fund (UNFPA) Jordan and Seven Circles on Thursday announced the winners of their “Youth Empowerment Online Cartoon Competition”, according to a joint statement sent to The Jordan Times.

 KARAK — By analysing the architecture and historical documentation, it is possible to reconstruct a detailed history of the Karak Castle during the Crusader period, an Italian archaeologist said during a recent public lecture held at Mutah University.

 AMMAN — As part of the efforts to attract more visitors through different types of tourism, and mitigate seasonality, Petra is set construct a new convention centre for hosting international and domestic conferences, an official said.

 AMMAN — Loyal to its annual tradition, The Boulevard in Abdali has recently kicked off its Christmas celebrations with the lighting of its Christmas tree, igniting the holiday spirit with bright, colourful lights and decorations.

 AMMAN — The "Green Amman 2020" project committee on Sunday launched a campaign to plant a total of 3,000 trees on the University of Jordan s (UJ) campus.

 AMMAN — On the opening night of their series of Christmas concerts, Dozan wa Awtar singers on Thursday night scored a full-house booking at the Terra Sancta College Theatre, with the event wittily entitled “Cinnamon Christmas”.

 JERASH — Italian Ambassador to Jordan Fabio Cassese on Sunday visited Jerash to check on the construction of a new training centre for the restoration and maintenance of antiquities.

 AMMAN — Contrary to most of Jordan’s historical sites dating back to the medieval period, the recent discovery by one Jordanian farmer in Shobak, south of Jordan, is actually not a medieval military building.

 AMMAN — A total of 32 budget flights, each carrying 180 passengers, have arrived from several European countries to Jordan each week since Ryanair and EasyJet began flights on November 1, the Jordan Tourism Board (JTB) said on Monday.

 JERASH — Having zero additives is the secret behind the “unbeatable” taste of hummus and broad bean dishes, or foul, served at the Smadi Restaurant in the northern Jordanian city of Jerash, the owner said, and customers seconded that. 

 The ruined city of Jerash is Jordan s largest and most interesting Roman site, and a major tourist drawcard. Its imposing ceremonial gates, colonnaded avenues, temples and theatres all speak to the time when this was an important imperial centre. Even the most casual fan of archaeology will enjoy a half-day at the site – but take a hat and sunscreen in the warmer months, as the exposed ruins can be very hot to explore.

 DENVER — A superheated blast from the skies obliterated cities and farming settlements north of the Dead Sea around 3,700 years ago, preliminary findings suggest.

 AMMAN — Some 450 Jordanian and Syrian women have been coming together in Irbid, as part of local self-help groups where they learned how to establish their own businesses, while developing strong social bonds and friendships.

 AMMAN — Urbanisation and the formation of Arab communities during the late Roman and the Byzantine times is “a complex question” that would receive multiple responses, said an American historian.

 Petra’s well-deserved spot on the New Seven Wonders of the World list has put it on every traveler’s radar. However, Jordan is much more than a check mark on a bucket list, and dropping in for a day trip is an injustice to this nation. Come for Petra, but stay for the castles, wadis, ruins, hikes and hospitality — and use these tips to upgrade your experience.

Tourism revenues rose by 12.7 per cent during the first ten months of this year to around $3.9 billion, up from $2.4 billion generated during the same period in 2016, the Central Bank of Jordan said.

Jordan this year witnessed an increase in the number of overnight religious tourists from countries targeted by promotion efforts, an official said on Wednesday.

AMMAN — The Jordan Tourism Board (JTB) on Monday launched a campaign to promote tourism in the city of Amman, under the title “#Amman24”, which has triggered tremendous enthusiasm among a diversified audience worldwide, thanks to effective interaction by social media influencers.

Tourism Minister Lina Annab announced that the first regional conference on “Tourism in the Middle East and North Africa [MENA]: Competitiveness for Sustainable Growth”, will be held on November 13 and 14 at the Grand Hyatt Amman Hotel.

Insulated in the desert wilderness of southern Jordan, bedouins of Wadi Rum, 330km south of Amman, still preserve customs and traditions that benefit their harsh habitat.

 The drop in the level of the Dead Sea is causing grave concerns among environmentalists and planners in the region, with most of the drop caused by diversion in the headwaters feeding the sea, a geologist has said.

Among Jordanians, the city of Jerash is famous for its high quality, fresh dairy products, which are still prepared using traditional methods. 

 A “first-of-its-kind” Hellenistic temple in the Levant region has been discovered in Umm Qais, an archaeologist said on Monday.

Jordanian archaeologists have discovered an ancient temple that was built in the Hellenistic era in the third century BC. 

AMMAN — The Second Janet Abu Lughod seminar, organised by Studio-X Amman and Sijal Institute for Arabic Language and Culture was a “wonderful opportunity to engage deeply with a diverse and bright group of participants in Amman on the singular topic of Qusayr Amra”, said Khaled Malas, a PhD candidate at the Institute of Fine Arts, New York University. 

Amman, northern Jordan is home to other ancient cities of the Decapolis. These include Jarash (Gerasa), Umm Qays (Gadara), Tabaqat Fahl or Fihil (Pella), Bayt Ras (Capitolias), and Quwayliba (Abila). Jarash, straddling one of the ancient world s key trade routes, offers extensive and breathtaking ruins of colonnaded streets, arches, temples, and baths in a remarkable state of preservation and completeness.

Residents of Wadi Rum have complained of Tourism Ministry’s ban on tourists’ trips to their area, insisting that the area is safe for guests and unaffected by tribal protests over the Jafer case.

The Central Bank of Jordan (CBJ) said on Sunday that the kingdom saw a rise in tourism revenues by 14.5% during the first half of the year to a total of $2.1 billion.

Tourism Minister Lina Annab announced that Amman will host the first regional conference on tourism in MENA cities, held under the title “Competitiveness for Sustainable Development”, a statement from Lawrence Conferences & Hussieni Consult said.

AMMAN — The Irbid Department of Antiquities has found 19 Roman ruins in Beit Al Ras town that narrate the stories of the former inhabitants of the area, department director, Musa Malkawi, said on Thursday.

AMMAN — “’La Traviata’ is a work of heart that will touch everybody’s soul,” Jordanian soprano Zeina Barhoum said at a press conference on Thursday.

The Cabinet on Wednesday decided to remove Kenyans from the restricted-nationality list, the Jordan News Agency, Petra, reported.

AMMAN — A total of 2,152 people visited the tombs of Prophet Mohammad’s companions in the Southern Mazar last June.

The Tourism Ministry on Saturday allowed some 300 restaurants and cafés to serve hookah without issuing fines against them provided that they rectify their status by December 31.

Tourism Minister Lina Annab is scheduled to head Jordan’s delegation to the 41st session of UNESCO’s World Heritage Committee, the Jordan News Agency, Petra, reported on Monday.

Deputising for His Majesty King Abdullah, Water and Irrigation Minister Hazem Nasser on Wednesday opened the Jordan Food Exhibition 2017, the Jordan News Agency, Petra, reported.

AMMAN —The Greater Amman Municipality (GAM) on Tuesday announced that Al Hussein Park will close during the Amman Summer Festival from July 6 until July 15, the Jordan News Agency, Petra, reported.

AMMAN — The Amman Summer Festival is expected to start on Thursday night at the main stage of Al Hussein Park, The 10-day festival will be held for the 11th year, in four locations inside the park.

AMMAN — The Children Museum Jordan on Wednesday announced that it reached the final round of the 2017 Children Museums Award, for its project titled “Mobile Museum of Children”.

AMMAN — HRH Princess Sanaa Asem on Wednesday attended the opening ceremony of the 23rd Shabib Festival at the Roman Theatre in Amman, the Jordan News Agency, Petra, reported.

Dating back to the second century, Roman Amphitheater speaks to the period of Roman rule over Amman, when the city was known as Philadelphia. The construction of the 6,000-seat amphitheater into the hillside at a steep angle kept the sun off spectators and created excellent acoustics, which enabled audience members even at the top seat to hear people in the arena.

Jordan s capital city, Amman spreads across 19 hills and includes many distinct districts, each with their own historical and cultural marvels. The topography of the city adds to the sense of eclecticism and discovery, with hidden areas and surprises lying out of sight and ready to be explored.

A close second to Petra on the list of favourite destinations in Jordan is the ancient city of Jerash, which boasts an unbroken chain of human occupation dating back more than 6,500 years.