Jordan joins the world of cruising with the inauguration of its first cruise terminal in Aqaba, coinciding with the arrival of the cruise vessel MSC Splendida carrying more than 2,000 visitors to the country. The new Aqaba Cruise Terminal marks the launch of the first of five strategic mega-projects planned between AD Ports Group - the global facilitator of logistics, industry and trade - and Aqaba Development Corporation to advance the coastal city’s tourism, logistics and transport sectors.
Under the agreement with Aqaba Development Corporation, AD Ports Group will develop, manage and operate the Aqaba Cruise Terminal, a world-class facility for international cruise passengers looking to visit Jordan, specifically Aqaba, Petra and Wadi Rum. Over 50 vessels are scheduled to dock at the Aqaba Cruise Terminal until the end of the current cruise season, bringing tens of thousands of visitors to the popular winter-sun destination.
The Aqaba Cruise Terminal comprises a 700-metre quay wall, passenger and luggage hall, indoor retail spaces, free Wi-Fi, prayer rooms and offices. The ultra-modern facility is a one-stop-shop for multiple government stakeholders serving the cruise business, improving processes, procedures and services and making it an attractive destination for cruise lines, thereby increasing ship call opportunities and passenger volumes, while ultimately boosting the economy at large.
A role model of a successful public-private partnership, the Aqaba Cruise Terminal provides an exceptional travel experience, setting Jordan as a pivotal destination for leisure travellers and signifying economic prosperity. A unique project in the Kingdom, the Aqaba Cruise Terminal will diversify the entry options available for passengers arriving in Jordan and will be an integral part of AD Ports Group’s Marsa Zayed, a mega mixed-use waterfront project comprising residential, retail, F&B, commercial and office spaces, hotel and leisure areas designed to bolster Aqaba’s status as a regional tourism and business hub.