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Things first-time travelers to Jordan should know

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Award-winning Canadian novelist, Colin McAdam, once said, “The best advice I heard before going to Jordan was ‘don’t read anything about it’.” It is indeed true because however much you do your research nothing will prepare you for the overwhelming beauty of this country. Jordan is proud of its rich culture and heritage, warm and welcoming to its tourists, offering them an experience of a lifetime. It is so magnificent that you will need multiple Jordan vacations to get a feel of this land, its culture, lip smacking food, and everything else that it has to offer. Here are some tips for first-time travelers to Jordan which can make their trip a little smoother.


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Dress appropriately

Jordan is a Middle Eastern country and contrary to popular notion, it is not a hot desert all year round and to be honest, weather can be quite fickle. Even light snow is not uncommon in the colder northern parts of the country. Therefore, watch out for the weather predictions around your time of visit and pack your clothes accordingly. Certain religious places might require you to dress conservatively, and it is a good thing to be respectful of the culture. Therefore, irrespective of gender, try to carry a few conservatives, clothes covering your legs, chest and arms, to wear when you visit religious spots. Always carry a scarf on you to drape around yourself in case you are required to cover up. Although it is a popular tourist spot and thus, there are no dress codes or restrictions at large, it is a smart idea to be respectful and ditch your skimpy outfits.

Vegetarian options are limited

Food here in Jordan is simply mind blowing and you will fall totally in love with the rich delectable, lip smacking cuisine here. It is a paradise for food lovers, and you are bound to go back home with a few extra kilos. But if you are a vegetarian or vegan you might find your options slightly limited as the entire country is absolutely in love with its various forms, kinds and preparations of meat. Most popular dishes in Jordan are made with some form of animal product or other which is why you have to do a little bit of research to find items which do not contain any form of animal product else you might end up with a seemingly vegetarian dish and it comes out to contain meat.

Try to avoid rush hours

Rush hours in Jordan are mostly during the office hours but traffic jams reach their peak around 2-5pm. Although the yellow cabs of Jordan are super affordable, you might like to avoid taking a cab during these hours in order to avoid higher fares and being stuck. Sometimes taxi drivers are also hesitant or they even tell you honestly that it is better to avoid a certain area due to the jams. If possible, plan your travel accordingly and try to avoid longer distance travel during this time and instead opt for walking around.

Be careful about the water you drink

The weather here, especially around summer can present you with sweltering heat and intense perspiration which demands you to stay hydrated, more so during your sightseeing around Petra, Wadi Rum and other hotter places. You cannot drink water straight out of a tap as tap water here is not potable water and has to be filtered to be drinkable. Avoid drinking water from a source you are unsure of. It is advisable to rely only on packaged drinking water to save yourself from stomach upsets. When you go for sightseeing make sure you carry your own bottle of water to keep yourself hydrated. If you feel dehydrated, opt for ORS for quick re-hydration.

Jordan is a beautiful country steeped in a beautifully ancient culture, where the modern life is growing rapidly, coexisting with the ancient, so that the past in not wiped out by the future. The people are friendly, helpful and kind enough to help you around with directions or guidance so feel free to ask around. It is also quite safe, making it perfect for solo and family vacation alike.

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Bartlett: Tourism driving economic growth through events and experiential activities

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Tourism Minister, Hon Edmund Bartlett says Jamaica’s tourism industry has benefitted tremendously from the recent staging of mega culinary and entertainment festivals.

In the month of March, Jamaica hosted its second annual Jamaica Blue Mountain Coffee Festival, the inaugural Jamaica Rum Festival as well as the much-anticipated Buju Banton Long Walk to Freedom concert. Each event saw thousands of patrons, with many visiting from overseas.

“I am very happy to announce that tourism arrivals have been impacted positively in March, from these mega-festivals. They provided an opportunity for us to broaden the market by bringing more people to the destination to meet a variety of passion points which embody the very best of our food, culture and music,” said Minister Bartlett.

The Minister also noted that preliminary figures indicate that arrivals for Kingston’s Norman Manley International Airport, last Friday, ahead of Buju Banton’s Long Walk to Freedom concert, show that 2,434 foreign nationals visited. This represents a 143% increase over the same period last year.

The data from the Jamaica Tourist Board also shows that 7,389 foreign nationals arrived into Montego Bay on Friday, which is a 58% increase over the same day last year.

“The arrivals over the weekend have been very strong and as an industry we are ecstatic. Our focus on our core tourist arrivals remains on strong footing from our key source markets. Since the start of the year, as at yesterday we have receive 72,999 more visitors than last year overt the same period,” said the Minister.

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Jamaica’s Tourism Minister in talks with potential Israeli investors

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Bartlett in talks with potential Israeli investors

Tourism Minister, Hon Edmund Bartlett says major hotel brands in Israel have expressed interest in investing in Jamaica and are expected to visit the island soon.

“I am very happy to share that our meetings in the Mediterranean have been very fruitful. We have met with a number of hoteliers including the luxury brand Brown Hotels. Their properties are a very trendy group, similar to the Hard Rock brand, and I am sure it will be a great addition to our Kingston or Montego Bay offerings,’ said the Minister.

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Brown Hotels is a rapidly-expanding global boutique hotel brand with roots in Tel Aviv. Conceived by native Israelis, Leon Avigad & Nitzan Perry with partner Nir Waizman. Their properties include four hotels in Tel Aviv, two in Jerusalem and one in Croatia.

The Minister also noted that the investors have accepted his invitation to visit Jamaica, and should be in attendance at the upcoming Jamaica Rum Festival.

The Festival, which will take place at place at Hope Gardens on March 9 and 10, is being presented by J. Wray & Nephew Limited’s Appleton Estate Jamaica Rum brand in partnership with the Jamaica Tourist Board (JTB) and the Tourism Enhancement Fund (TEF). It aims to promote brand Jamaica, boost tourism in Kingston and showcase Jamaica’s cultural excellence in rum, food and music.

“I am looking forward to continuing our discussions when the team arrives in Kingston next month. I am also excited that they will get an opportunity to attend this major food festival we will be hosting in Kingston. This is a potentially big find and they are ready for the Caribbean particularly Jamaica because of our music and rum which are so appealing to young people,” said Minister Bartlett.

The Minister is currently in Israel to participate in the Annual International Mediterranean Tourism Market event.

The International Mediterranean Tourism Market (IMTM 2019) is an annual tourism event that brings together professionals and service providers from the tourism industry and introduces new attractions and tourist destinations.

The Minister is expected to return to the island on February 18.

Local partners and tourism industry players to assist hosting first ever international tournament in Seychelles

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As the Seychelles destination is in anticipation of the MCB Staysure Tour event to start in one week-time, local partners and service providers have rallied to ensure the event to be hosted on Praslin between December 14, 2018 and December 16, 2018 is a success.

Parallel to Constance Lemuria preparing to welcome the final of the golf tournament, the organising committee is working effortlessly to guarantee that the necessary means are put in place so that the tournament runs smoothly.

From the minute the guests set foot on Seychelles’ soil, the organising committee, with the help of its various partners, are in charge of ensuring that the guests’ stay in paradise goes without any hiccups.

Amongst the various local companies who have offered to provide their support are local destination management companies Creole Travel Services, Mason’s Travel and 7 Degrees South, CAT COCOS, Takamaka Rum, ISPC Seychelles and Heineken.

The 32 professional golfers together with Staysure Tour Officials, MCB partners and the international press will touch down in Seychelles on December 11, 2018, flying in on-board an Air Seychelles flight from Mauritius.

The national airline will have three twin otters lined up to facilitate the transportation of golfers and their spouses and other invited guests to the second biggest island of Seychelles – Praslin.

Creole Travel Services, Mason’s Travel and 7 Degrees South will be catering and making provision for the complimentary transportation of the participants between venues.

The Operations Manager at 7 Degrees South, Ms. Lindy Cadeau, said that such is in line with the company’s vision of involving new grounds.

“The resources have all been adequately allocated specifically for the event which will surely be an ideal opportunity to allow more exposure to the home of the mystical Coco De Mer fruit and Seychelles in general,” said Ms. Cadeau.

She noted that the number of golf enthusiasts’ eager to attend destination tours over the years have grown significantly.

Discussing Mason’s travel participation in providing support to the golf, Mr. Alvis, General Manager of the company talked about the importance of seizing such an opportunity for Seychelles.

“Being part of the MCB-Staysure Golf event is an opportunity for us to show our pride as a local business to support such events being hosted in our country. We believe that our contribution to this event will not only help our company to get new clients but also the country to get new business through the interest that would be generated in this event,” said Mr. Alvis.

Responsible for the transfer of the golf tournament partakers’ equipment and luggage and the Staysure delegation, CAT COCOS is making available a complimentary chartered boat to Praslin.

Speaking about the Creole Travel Services’ commitment to be part of the MCB-Staysure Golf Tournament, Mr. Eric Renard, General Manager at the company mentioned the meticulous organisation behind the project from the organisation’s part.

“It is our pleasure to provide our support to such an international event. We have an active delegated department assigned to the task, ensuring that everything that is required from us is ready when the time comes. Events such as these are ideal to attract a niche market to the Seychelles, and as a dynamic local DMC, it is our duty to encourage the further growth and evolution of the Seychelles as a tourism destination.”

IPSC Seychelles, Heineken and Takamaka Rum will ensure that food and beverage are made available to the different members of the delegation as the golf tournament rolls on.

Talking about the investment made for the event by ISPC, Mr. Alfred Alain Fourcroy, ISPC’s Chief Executive and Partner mentioned that the company is making provision to serve their best brands at the various events.  He further mentioned that ISPC would also be assisting in serving Champagne to arriving guests on board the aircraft.

“Our involvement in this event was a natural step for us. We have been actively supporting golf since 2013 via our competitions/events and more recently since 2016 being involved within the Seychelles Golf Federation. We believe this event is an amazing opportunity for Seychelles and we are delighted to be on board,” said Mr. Alfred Fourcroy.

As another regular sponsor of golf events on our shores, the Takamaka Rum local distiller company took the opportunity to add its brand to the list of partners to the event.

“Takamaka Rum is very proud to be one of the sponsors of the MCB Tour championship; we have supported golf in Seychelles for many years so it was an easy decision to make to be a part of the best golfing event ever to come to our shores. Best of luck to the all the Golfers,” said Takamaka Rum Managing Director Mr. Richard D’Offay as he spoke about their association to the prestigious MCB-Staysure Golf Tournament.

With the tourism industry being the driving pillar of the economy of Seychelles, each member of the team has a specific role to play in making the first golf tournament in the 115-island archipelago of the Indian Ocean a success.

Hosting such a high profile golfing event will secure higher visibility for Seychelles, potentially attracting more golf enthusiasts to the country – the perfect opportunity for one to relax and lay back while still doing what they love.

MEDIA CONTACT: info@seychelles.travel