The province of Aqaba |
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First broadcast date
1995
Abstract
The province of El Aqaba has known an important development through time. Being a gateway, this region interested the Hashemite for its strategic importance. As it is Jordan’s only port for import and export, mega projects have been established to cope with its importance in the fields of tourism, development and economy. The government is still interested in the province of Aqaba because it is one of the main sources contributing to boost Jordan’s economy, thanks to the busy port and the movements of ships linking Jordan to the world. Therefore, many tourist facilities have been built to meet the needs of its visitors; tourists or businessmen.
Production companies
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Television - Own production
Broadcaster
JRTV - Jordan Television
Audiovisual form
Documentary
Personalities
- Ben Tallal His Majesty King Hussein
- Ben Ali Cherif Hussein
Primary theme
Fishing and harbour activities
Secondary themes
- Tourism and cultural sites / Tourist sites
Credits / Cast
- Kheir Ziad - Director
- Said Mahmoud - Speaker
Map locations
- Jordan - Transjordan Plateau - Aqaba
Additional information
His Majesty the late King Hussein - Sherif El Hussein Bin Ali - archive snapshots of Arab revolutions - photo of Sherif El Hussein - Aqaba fortress - its beaches - the port - boats - lorries - streets - hostel projects
Context
The Gulf of Aqaba: history
Norig Neveu
This report from 1995 is about the town of Aqaba and its region. The urban centre of Aqaba, situated in southern Jordan, 5km from the Israeli town of Eilat, is the administrative capital of the district of the same name. It has a population of 107,000. Jordan has only 30 km of coastline along the Gulf of Aqaba, and for this reason the region plays a key role in the country's economy as wellas being a major tourist destination.
The town's recent history is significant since it remained under Ottoman rule until 1917. In that year, led by Sharif Hussein of Mecca and his sons, the Arab Revolt ended the occupation. Aqaba was a strategic base for Sharif (later King) Faisal. The town was then incorporated into the Kingdom of Hejaz, ruled by Sharif Hussein of Mecca, and was only incorporated into the Emirate of Transjordan in 1925, to be governed, under British mandate, by Emir (later King) Abdullah.
From a tourist point of view, Aqaba is primarily valued as a pleasure resort and diving centre, particularly since the development of a luxury tourist area at Tala Bay, south of the city in 2001. The city's historical heritage, especially the fort built by the Mamluk Sultan Al-Ghuri Qansuh on the site of an ancient cross-shaped building has been promoted by the Ministry of Tourism and Antiquities. The construction of an airport opened up the town for tourism and economic development.
The city also plays an important role in Jordanian industry and commerce. The port facilities were developed in the 1930s. The city became a major trading port on a national scale only in 1965, when King Hussein and his Saudi counterpart signed an amendment of the border treaty giving the Hashemite Kingdom 12 km of coastline east of Aqaba in exchange for 6,000 square kilometres of desert. The town's container terminal is one of the most dynamic in the region. The commercial port is also very busy, particularly for the export of phosphate. A number of industrial activities remain in the region, especially heavy industry, with oil and sugar refineries.
In 2001, the city became a Special Economic Zone, within which a number of businesses and investments are exempt from taxes. This has led to the development of major projects, mainly dependent on foreign investment. Aqaba has been chosen for the creation of important tourist and residential projects, specializing in luxury tourism, such as Saraya Aqaba or Ayla, projects bringing together villas, residences and luxury hotels, leisure facilities, along a lagoon.
Bibliography :
Matthieu Alaime, La zone économique spéciale d'Aqaba en Jordanie, Edition universitaire européenne, 2011.
Zaynab ‘Abd al-Majîd al-Tabûsh, Târîkh Qadâ’ al-‘Aqaba, 1892-1924 (Histoire du district d’Aqaba, 1892-1924), Amman, Dar Kanûz al-Mu‘arfa, 2007.
Waleed Hazbun, Beaches, ruins, resorts: The politics of tourism in the Arab World. Minneapolis: University of Minnesota Press, 2008.
