Petra, Porto Dead Sea, and Pictures

Tourism is a vital part of the Jordanian economy, on average it is 20% of Jordan's GDP. There are numerous good reasons for this. Jordan is full of beautiful sites to see. Petra (one of the seven wonders of the world), Wadi Rum (the site for the filming of "The Martian"), the Dead Sea (the lowest point on earth), Ajloun castle (A castle built during the crusades), Jerash Roman ruins, Aqaba and the Red Sea, not to mention the countless activities to do in Amman. All of these nifty historical sites are combined with an incredibly hospitable culture and delicious food to make Jordan an amazing destination.

Still, in the past couple of years the tourism industry here has taken a hit. Because of its geographic location, often times people are frightened that they would not be safe in Jordan. In my experience this has not been true. The last terrorist attack in Jordan happened in 2005, and since then Jordan has increased its security apparatus. Jordan's intelligence agency has an open door policy with America, and has the largest transfer of information between American secret service behind Britain. This isn't to say nothing bad could even happen in Jordan, but Jordan has also withstood the regional turmoil and has been able to ward off opportunities for violence inside of its borders.

Jordan not only has a history of being a safe and exciting tourist destination, it also has plans looking into the future. Next to the Dead Sea, Jordan is currently in the process of developing an attraction called "Porto Dead Sea". The area would hold four 5-Star hotels, as well as offering leisure activities such as an amusement park, movie theater, golf course, and dancing area. This project signifies a large investment in the future of tourism in Jordan, a future that's sure to be worth experiencing.

Now, instead of telling the great experiences I've had visiting all these sites in Jordan, I think it's best to instead put up pictures from my adventures here. They by no means cover even a fraction of all there is to experience in Jordan, but they're a window into this gorgeous part of the world and show just how beautiful time spent here can be.