The outcomes of King Abdullah II's recent visit to China have opened new avenues for economic cooperation between the two countries, particularly in transport and tourism, with a memorandum of understanding signed by Royal Jordanian and Air China in Beijing standing out as a concrete step toward stronger air connectivity.
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The memorandum, signed on the sidelines of the royal visit, aims to expand commercial and operational cooperation between the two carriers and explore launching a direct, non-stop route between Amman and Beijing. Its scope extends beyond a single route, covering potential codesharing and interline agreements, along with cooperation on air cargo, ground services and training.
Aviation Experts See Strategic Value Beyond a Single Route
Haitham Misto, former head of the Civil Aviation Regulatory Commission, said air transport agreements between countries govern traffic rights, commercial terms and flight frequency, noting that Jordan currently holds more than 125 such agreements worldwide. He said cooperation with China carries particular weight given the country's vast size and number of cities, making codesharing a valuable tool for connecting passengers to a wider range of destinations.
Misto said codesharing strengthens an airline's network and reflects a broader global trend of carriers building alliances to expand market reach. He described Jordanian-Chinese relations as long-standing, and said direct air transport between the two countries is central to supporting trade and tourism given China's status as a major industrial and commercial power. He called for feasibility studies and close tracking of global passenger traffic data to identify routes capable of achieving long-term viability.
Yousef Al-Da'aja, an aviation expert, said the memorandum should be understood as a broader framework for cooperation rather than simply an agreement to operate flights between the two capitals. He said the economic value for Jordan lies in reduced time and cost of accessing the Chinese market, supporting tourism, trade, investment and business travel, though he cautioned that these benefits require sustained marketing and promotional efforts rather than happening automatically once the route launches.
Al-Da'aja pointed to air cargo as a potentially significant long-term benefit, noting that the connection could open opportunities to transport high-value or time-sensitive goods and link Jordan to Chinese and global distribution networks. He said the arrangement benefits both carriers: Royal Jordanian gains access to Air China's extensive network within China and Asia, while Air China gains access to Royal Jordanian's network across the Levant, Europe, Africa and the Americas through Amman.
Direct Route's Success Will Hinge on Demand and Marketing
Al-Da'aja described a potential direct Amman-Beijing route as one of Jordan's most important future air links, but said its economic sustainability will depend on sufficient passenger, transit and cargo demand given high operating costs. He said the memorandum itself provides only a framework, and that actual results will depend on implementation, pricing, flight schedules, marketing and cargo traffic.
He said the broader strategic value lies in strengthening Amman's position as a hub connecting China, the Levant, and destinations across Europe, Africa and the Americas, an opportunity he said could be amplified by linking air transport with tourism, e-commerce, free zones and logistics services.
Tourism Industry Says Direct Flights Could Reshape Chinese Market Access
Mahmoud Khasawneh, president of the Jordan Association of Travel and Tourism Agencies, said air connectivity is a direct factor in reaching the Chinese market, and that the absence of direct flights in the past has limited the tourism sector's ability to attract Chinese visitors. He said Royal Jordanian's plans for a direct route represent a significant opportunity for Jordanian travel companies to intensify efforts targeting Chinese outbound tourism.
Hani Al-Dabbas, vice president of the Jordan Hotels Association, said the air link should be viewed as an economic and tourism decision rather than simply an aviation development, arguing that ease of access has become part of the tourism product itself. He said China requires stable, continuous air capacity rather than seasonal marketing campaigns, since regular connections allow tourism companies and hotels to plan and price further in advance.
Al-Dabbas said the economic impact of the route will be measured not by the number of flights alone, but by the spending, investment and job creation each arriving flight generates across hotels, restaurants and transportation. He also said diversifying tourism source markets, including China, strengthens the sector's resilience to crises and seasonal fluctuations.
Chinese Tourist Numbers Rising, But Still Below Historical Peaks
According to the Ministry of Tourism and Antiquities, the number of Chinese tourists visiting Jordan rose 15.9 percent during the first seven months of this year, reaching 11,931 compared to 10,293 during the same period last year. Of this total, 11,160 were overnight visitors and 771 were day visitors.
Despite the increase, current numbers remain well below historical levels, when Chinese tourist arrivals previously exceeded 35,000, suggesting substantial room for growth if air connectivity and marketing efforts continue to develop.
More broadly, international visitor arrivals to Jordan reached approximately 4 million during the first seven months of this year, up from about 3.4 million during the same period last year. Preliminary Central Bank data showed tourism revenue rose 24.9 percent in July to approximately $926.2 million, while cumulative revenue for the first seven months declined only slightly, by 0.2 percent, to approximately $4.418 billion.
From Aviation Deal to Broader Economic Platform
Experts agreed that the success of Jordanian-Chinese air cooperation will depend less on simply launching a route and more on whether Jordan's carriers, tourism sector and private companies can convert it into a platform for sustained economic activity. Direct connectivity could reduce costs and travel time, support business and cargo growth, and strengthen Amman's position as a regional hub linking China, the Levant and international markets, though experts cautioned that realizing these benefits will require sustained investment in demand generation, pricing strategy and marketing within the Chinese market.
Source: Al-Ghad.
