Tourism has always been a key sector to achieving the Aqaba Special Economic Zone Vison. Aqaba’s tourism attributes allow it to be a year-round resort that has something to offer for everyone and is a popular destination amongst all age groups. This seaside city is blessed with great weather throughout the year; rich culture and heritage, proximity to Petra and Wadi Rum, and most importantly amazing underwater life featuring some of the world's most breathtaking scenery.
ADC, mandated by ASEZA and the Government of Jordan to achieve the ASEZ master plan is keen on enhancing Aqaba’s competitiveness as a tourism destination. ADC, is, therefore, committed to attracting new investments, enhancing infrastructure, improving connectivity by air and sea, diversifying the tourism product, and instilling business as well as touristic enablers into the Zone.
Key to our role, in this regard, is availing of investment opportunities. ADC is a government-owned corporation entrusted with ownership and development rights of the vast area of land within Aqaba that is allocated for tourism, real estate, and commercial use. ADC is also an entity that is capable and willing to form public-private partnerships. This is in addition to ADC’s ability to engage in a multitude of investment contractual frameworks e.g. sale, lease, BOT.
The ASEZ Land use masterplan launched by ASEZA back in 2002, divides the Zone into a number of development areas each introducing a spectrum of investment opportunities while ensuring that environmental, social, and cultural aspects are taken into consideration. According to the Plan, 50% of investments attracted to the Zone are to be in tourism. The Master Plan called for the relocation of Aqaba main port, previously located on the northern part of the Aqaba Gulf, and the construction of a new port of new port at the southern area of Aqaba, by doing that it insured that additional prime land is being offered for investment in tourism and allowed for the Aqaba town to naturally expand south.
The Master Plan allocates a vast area for tourism, mixed-use, and commercial use in different areas of the Zone. Those locations include the upper town, Aqaba city, the Coral Coastal Zone as well as the Airport area.
Investment opportunities in the tourism sector in Aqaba range from luxurious high-end resorts to 3 and 4 stars hotels, from entertainment venues to commercial centers and from conference and exhibition centers, theme parks, recreations facilities, and museums to film studios and many more. Some of the major tourism investment opportunities in Aqaba include: