Jordan: Hotel Development Drives More Middle East Growth

Jun 21, 03 | 1:06 am

Despite the crisis that affected the region in 2002/2003, Jordan maintained and attracetd more tourists in comparison with 2001. The Dead Sea region have Tourist arrivals increased in 2002 by 11.5 per cent with a total of 4 million, a growth is linked to rapid hotel development", says Joumana Dammous-Salamé, Managing Director of Hospitality Services-Lebanon.

Jordan has been adding to its vast array of tourist attractions, new leisure services that appeal to every traveler.  

Major projects are in store for Aqaba and the Dead Sea, among which: 

Ø        Aqaba Lagoon Tourism Site- a 300 hectare site, features market hotels, residential communities, retail space, restaurants..

Ø        Intercontinental Aqaba Hotel & Resort – a 320 room resort is under construction, expected opening in 2004.

Ø        Aqaba Marriott Hotel – includes 300 rooms, 16 cabanas, five restaurants, a convention center… expected opening in 2006.

Ø        A Five-Star Hotel – Coral Beach Hotel will be reconstructed up to five-star hotel. Its name is expected to change, as the property will be affiliated with an international hotel chain.

Ø        Tala Bay Resort – constructed on a 2.6 million m² plot of land and will be marketed as a premium vacation destination. Construction will begin in 2003 and expected to be completed by 2010.

Ø        Royal Diving Club – Includes diving center, restaurant, boutique,…, expected to be completed by the end of 2003.

And also… 

Ø         Also, Six Continents Hotels is expanding its portfolio of hotels in Jordan with the additional of two more properties, Intercontinental Aqaba Hotel & Resort is due 2005 and Holiday In consisting of 400 rooms, on the shores of the dead sea, is due to open 2006. 

List of new projects by TTG MAG., May 2003 

The Middle East's leading hotel supplies exhibition, which will be held between September 16-18 will be attracting hotel trade visitors from countries across the region, who will be interested to explore the Jordanian market specially with this positive signs for the near future. 

This year the exhibition has become a major show both for manufacturers and suppliers of a vast range of products and services used by hotels. (Furniture, Furnishings, Fixtures, Tableware, Hotel amenities & accessories, Bathroom, Bedroom accessories, Interior Decorating & Building Material, Indoor & Outdoor Lighting, Uniforms, Linen & Bedding, Security, Safety Equipment, IT & Software, Health, Leisure, Electronics & Entertainment, Hygiene & Maintenance, Franchise & Management, Educational Institutions. Besides these it also includes F & B, Foodservice Equipment, Catering, Baking & Refrigeration, Packaging and Laundry Equipment