AMMAN — Jordan is taking action to implement the
Turkish tourism model in the city of Aqaba, presenting several types of tourism
at a single destination, the Anadolu news agency reported.
اضافة اعلان
Hussein Safadi, CEO of the
Aqaba Development Corporation, said that Turkey is a
“pioneer” in the field of tourism, and that the Turkish model "should be
applied in some cases in Aqaba".
Turkey is famous for integrating a variety of
tourism categories, including recreational tourism, medical tourism, exhibition
tourism, adventure tourism, marine tourism, investment tourism, and sports
tourism, he said.
The Aqaba Development Corporation has a strategy
to attract more investments through signing agreements with Turkey in several
fields, with the aim of boosting the Kingdom’s port city, according to the CEO.
Cooperation with TurkeySafadi said that efforts have been made to
strengthen the strategic cooperation between Turkey and Jordan — contributing
to the establishment of a Turkish Airlines office at
King Hussein International Airport in Aqaba and regular flights between the port city and the
Mediterranean country.
Furthermore, some Turkish investors have
established industrial projects in Aqaba, which are now “considered among the
most successful projects" in the city, Safadi said.
Turkey is "a pioneer in the tourism industry and has created a model for itself that must be applied at times in the Aqaba region".
"We maintain continual contact with the chambers of
commerce and with some entities from the private sector in Turkey in order to
cooperate and benefit from the great Turkish experience, especially in industry
and logistical expertise, as well as tourism," he said.
Turkey is "a pioneer in the tourism
industry and has created a model for itself that must be applied at times in
the
Aqaba region," the CEO added.
The role of the corporationThe Aqaba Development Corporation is the investment arm of
the Aqaba Special Economic Zone Authority, and it is concerned with developing
basic facilities, attracting investments, and working to develop the Aqaba
region in terms of public services and the development of projects that create
job opportunities.
The main vision of the corporation is to work to attract and
develop industry and investments from outside Jordan, to establish factories in
Aqaba, provide the largest possible number of job opportunities, and enhance
the role of Aqaba as a competitive industrial and logistical center in the
region.
Safadi also noted that the corporation
"focuses on tourism investments, by which we mean all aspects of tourism:
exhibition tourism, conference tourism, traditional and sports tourism..."
In addition, “through the Aqaba Authority, we are working to
create
vocational training centers at the highest levels to train the country's
youth on the latest principles, enabling them to work outside Jordan and in
Aqaba."
“Through the Aqaba Authority, we are working to create vocational training centers at the highest levels to train the country's youth”
In light of the changes the world is witnessing
in terms of energy, climate change, and political and economic conditions that
affect the activity of freight, ports, and ships, Safadi stated that
"logistical issues are very important".
"We keep abreast of global developments in terms of
logistics and storage of goods, and facilitate the arrival of goods to Jordan,
so that we can be competitive at the regional and international levels in the
field of shipping, ports, and logistics," he said.
Partnership with Abu Dhabi Ports Group The corporation is currently in the final stages of discussions on an agreement
with the
Abu Dhabi Ports Group to develop the port city’s King Hussein
International Airport, the CEO said.
Furthermore, in January, “we opened the first cruise ship
terminal in Aqaba, the Aqaba Cruise Ship Terminal.”
The terminal project came about through an investment of more
than JD10 million ($14 million), and the Abu Dhabi Ports Group is in charge of
managing and operating it.
“50
cruise ships will dock at this terminal over
the next four months, bringing thousands of tourists who will visit the Aqaba
Special Economic Zone and other tourist areas such as Petra and Wadi Rum,"
Safadi said.
The station is part of the Abu Dhabi Ports
Group’s Marsa Zayed project, a huge venture covering an area of 1.2 million
square meters including residential, commercial, and entertainment facilities
and infrastructure developments.
"We are now in the process of setting a
timetable to start developing this huge project," Safadi said.
Other
key agreementsThe
corporation has also been busy with other development plans. "We signed an agreement with the global APM
Terminals Group to develop the container port under an investment of $242
million," Safadi noted.
"We are fortunate to host the headquarters
of Maersk International, a logistics and shipping academy in the Aqaba region,
to train the country's youth and attract students from other countries,” he
said. “We consider this an achievement.”
Implementation of the project is expected to begin in the
next few months, he said.
A submarine Google cable will pass through Aqaba, which will serve as a link between Europe and Asia
Another
deal was signed last year with a private
Jordanian company to establish a world-class data center, he said.
Furthermore, a submarine
Google cable will pass
through Aqaba, which will serve as a link between Europe and Asia.
The Royal visionWith Aqaba serving as Jordan’s only sea port,
Safadi stressed the role of the Royal vision to make the city a world-class
business hub and leisure destination while supporting the local community.
He pointed to the active follow-up by HRH Crown
Prince Hussein to enhance the city’s role as a regional tourism, investment,
and logistical center.
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