Aqaba, Sept. 25 (Petra)-- Dina Mahadeen - Aqaba Port on Friday welcomed the cruise ship Aroya, arriving from Jeddah, Saudi Arabia, carrying around 3,400 tourists, most of them Saudi nationals, in addition to approximately 1,200 crew members, as part of the growing cruise traffic contributing to tourism and economic activity in the city.
The ship arrived at the cruise terminal in the morning and is scheduled to depart this evening as part of an itinerary that includes visits to several archaeological and tourist sites in Aqaba, Petra and Wadi Rum.
On the logistical side, the area opposite the City Services Building was designated for transporting tourist groups to and from downtown Aqaba. Nine shuttle buses were provided for internal transportation, while eight buses headed to Petra and two to Wadi Rum, all scheduled to return this evening. Another 10 buses were allocated for sightseeing tours of Aqaba’s main attractions.
Thabet Al-Nabulsi, Commissioner for Tourism and Youth Affairs at the Aqaba Special Economic Zone Authority (ASEZA), stressed the importance of receiving cruise ships in strengthening Aqaba’s position as a leading marine tourism destination.
He said the visit of Aroya forms part of efforts to boost tourism activity and attract more visitors arriving through cruise itineraries.
Al-Nabulsi noted that cruise traffic has a positive impact on various sectors linked to tourism by increasing visitor numbers and stimulating commercial and service activities. He reaffirmed ASEZA’s continued support for the marine tourism sector and its efforts to attract more cruise ships and tourist voyages to Aqaba.
He added that relevant authorities had provided the necessary facilities to receive visitors and organize transportation and tourism programs, ensuring smooth movement, a quality visitor experience and greater benefits for the various economic and service sectors linked to tourism.
The visit of Aroya comes amid growing cruise ship traffic to Aqaba, reinforcing the city’s role as a marine tourism destination and supporting economic activity across tourism-related sectors.
The Aroya operates on a regular route departing from Jeddah, calling at Egypt’s Sharm El-Sheikh and Aqaba before returning to Jeddah, contributing to the development of marine tourism links among the region’s ports.
//Petra// MF
