Aqaba, Sept. 17 (Petra)-- Dina Mahadeen - King Hussein International Airport in Aqaba on Thursday received the first flight from Riyadh, marking the launch of a regular air route operated by Royal Jordanian Airlines.

The arrival was attended by Prince Faisal bin Abdulrahman bin Nasser bin Farhan Al Saud, CEO and Vice Chairman of the Liajlehum Association for Serving Persons with Disabilities and Chairman of the Arab Council for Accessible Tourism.

The airport's Director, Mohammad Al-Sarayreh, and the Aqaba Special Economic Zone Authority's Tourism Director, Salam Al-Malki, welcomed the flight alongside representatives of security agencies, relevant airport authorities, and other officials.

The new service marks a step toward strengthening direct air connectivity between Aqaba and regional markets and supporting inbound tourism to the city and the Golden Triangle.

In remarks to the Jordan News Agency (Petra), Al-Malki said the authority continues its efforts to open new tourism markets, focusing on regional and neighboring markets to boost tourist arrivals to Aqaba.

She explained that launching direct air routes connecting Aqaba with Riyadh and Abu Dhabi would facilitate tourists' access to the city and enable them to explore the tourism attractions of Aqaba, Wadi Rum, and Petra as part of the Golden Triangle itinerary.

Al-Malki added that promotional campaigns are continuing in cooperation with Royal Jordanian and the Explore Jordan application, in partnership with the private sector, particularly the hotel industry and the National Water Carrier Project.

She noted that work is underway to develop integrated tourism packages covering arrival services, accommodation, and a variety of tourism experiences.

These efforts aim to promote Aqaba as an integrated tourism destination for visitors to the Kingdom and strengthen its position on the Arab tourism map, while expanding air travel options from regional and international markets.

The year-round operation of the new flights will expand direct travel options to Aqaba and support the tourism sector's efforts to attract new markets, in line with initiatives to develop tourism products and enhance the city's competitiveness as an integrated tourism destination.

For his part, Al-Sarayreh said the arrival of the first flight on the Riyadh–Aqaba route represents an important step toward strengthening the city's air connectivity network and supporting tourism arrivals.

He told Petra that the achievement resulted from a shared vision and intensive coordination among the Aqaba Special Economic Zone Authority, Royal Jordanian, the National Water Carrier Project, and relevant partners.

The airport has recently undergone extensive infrastructure development and improvement works to enhance its readiness to receive multiple flights simultaneously, enabling the provision of high-quality services to passengers, reducing response times, and raising service standards in accordance with the highest benchmarks, he added.

Al-Sarayreh said the new flight schedule includes the operation of the Riyadh and Abu Dhabi routes, with two flights per week each throughout the year.

The Moscow route is scheduled to launch on October 25, with two flights per week, while air traffic on the Cairo route will be increased to three flights per week.

He noted that the year-round operation of these routes would help reduce the seasonality of tourism activity and support a sustainable flow of tourists and visitors to Aqaba throughout the year, benefiting various sectors linked to tourism.

//Petra// MF