Aqaba, July 6 (Petra) — The Aqaba Special Economic Zone Authority
(ASEZA) held an extensive meeting on Monday with representatives of
the tourism sector to discuss an integrated plan to revitalize the
sector.

The plan focuses on expanding the direct air link network, developing
the tourism product, and enhancing marketing and tour packages in
partnership with Royal Jordanian (RJ) and the private sector, with
the aim of attracting more visitors and promoting Aqaba as a key
regional and international destination.

Aqaba is a key national priority for inbound tourism, said Thabet
Nabulsi, ASEZA Commissioner for Tourism and Youth Affairs.

He said today’s meeting underlined the Authority’s commitment to
involving the private sector in shaping the next phase, listening to
its feedback, and ensuring that flight, marketing, and incentive
plans are turned into practical, marketable, and promotable programs
in target markets.

Nabulsi announced a plan to launch direct Aqaba-Moscow flights in
October, following new routes to Riyadh and Abu Dhabi. The upcoming
service, he said, is part of a larger plan to extend direct air links
to key regional and international destinations.

Upcoming routes will connect to regional cities like Cairo, Abu
Dhabi, Riyadh, and Istanbul, and global markets including Moscow,
Rome or Milan, Stockholm, Düsseldorf, Paris, and China, and weekly
flights are set to scale up over the coming years, he said.

Karim Makhlouf, RJ Chief Commercial Officer (CCO), said the national
carrier is enhancing its travel model to package flights with hotels,
transport, and tours. To boost Aqaba’s global reach, the carrier is
using the ExploRJordan platform alongside tour operators and online
booking sites to break into new tourism markets.

RJ is driving inbound tourism through expanding its network,
modernizing its fleet, and refining the passenger experience to match
the Kingdom’s national tourism goals, said Makhlouf.

//Petra// HA