Jordan is booming with adventure, indoors and out. From Petra to Wadi Rum, this guide outlines bike tours, ancient archaeological visits, and nights under the stars.
The Middle East is becoming the most-sought international travel destination in the world, reports Intrepid. At the epicenter, Jordan is vying to become a global leader in outdoor adventure. And in 2017, the country hosted the first adventure tourism conference in the Middle East to accelerate that goal.
Jordan’s organized effort paid off: Last year, 40 new Jordanian adventure travel itineraries launched with everything from snorkeling to horseback riding, reported the Adventure Travel Trade Association.
Two newly developed trails opened that span the entire length of the country: the Jordan Bike Trail and Jordan Trail. The routes invite wanderers to explore the land by foot or bike, supported or solo. Following the new travel options, tourism arrivals increased by 15 percent last year — in the first quarter alone — compared to 2017. And tour operators anticipate a revenue spike of another 13 percent this year.