Aqaba, May 30 (Petra) – The Aqaba Special Economic Zone Authority
(ASEZA) announced today, Saturday, that the coastal city of Aqaba and
the Wadi Rum protected area registered a record-breaking influx of
136,546 visitors during the joint 80th Independence Day and Eid
Al-Adha holiday frame, underscoring Aqaba’s growing position as a
premier regional tourism and economic hub.

ASEZA Chief Commissioner Shadi Ramzi Al-Majali stated that hotel
occupancy rates across all hospitality tiers hit a maximum capacity
of 100 percent during the second and third days of Eid, maintaining a
96 percent aggregate occupancy rate throughout the extended holiday
weekend.

Al-Majali noted that this unprecedented volume demonstrates strong
consumer confidence in Aqaba’s hospitality sector and the high demand
for its diverse tourism products.

The surge in visitor volume generated significant commercial momentum
across trade, tourism, and hospitality services, driven by national
milestone celebrations alongside an array of entertainment fixtures
during the “Amwaj Aqaba” (Aqaba Waves) Festival.

Al-Majali highlighted that this exceptional foot traffic translated
directly into increased retail sales and transactional volume across
commercial markets, shopping centers, restaurants, cafes, hotels, and
entertainment complexes, lifting general economic output and tourist
expenditure.

Al-Majali added that downtown districts and public squares underwent
comprehensive cosmetic updates and decorative styling prior to the
national and religious holidays, enriching the destination’s
aesthetic appeal and general visitor experience.

He highly praised the local community for its hospitality,
cooperation, and civic engagement, which played an essential role in
driving the season’s operational success and securing high visitor
satisfaction benchmarks.

ASEZA’s recent infrastructure assets, public beach upgrades, and
recreational facility modernizations expanded the city’s capacity to
handle the record crowds safely and efficiently.

Al-Majali concluded that this successful performance was the direct
result of integrated operational, organizational, and logistics plans
executed alongside the Governorate of Aqaba and public-private sector
stakeholders. This coordinated approach sustained high
service-delivery standards and provided an economic lift to small and
medium enterprises (SMEs) and frontline service personnel throughout
the zone.

//Petra// AA