TravTalk India Online Magazine
With non-stop flights on the horizon, the Middle East nation has plans to double its visitor numbers to 160,000 within the next 12-18 months. Through ‘Explore Jordan’ initiative, Royal Jordanian Airlines is joining forces with tour operators to promote the country as a vibrant new destination for Indian travellers.
Hazel Jain
Royal Jordanian Airlines recently announced two new routes from Amman to India. “The launch of our new non-stop routes connecting Amman with Mumbai and New Delhi marks a significant milestone in our strategy to promote Jordan as a tourism destination for the Indian market while positioning Royal Jordanian as a boutique airline,” said Karim Makhlouf, Chief Commercial Officer, Royal Jordanian Airlines, who was recently in India to announce four weekly flights to each destination from Amman.
As part of its expansion plan, Royal Jordanian will introduce 19 brand-new A320neo and Boeing 787 aircraft in 2025-26. The new routes to Mumbai and New Delhi will be served by the A320neos, featuring dual-class configurations (Economy and Business), advanced in-flight entertainment, and WiFi services.
Makhlouf added, “We plan to increase it to daily flights next year. We are a travel agent-friendly airline. We are on all GDSs and pay commissions. Together with our partner STIC Travels, we are happy to bring tour operators flexible IT fares because our main mission is not just ticketing or connecting traffic, but to promote Jordan as a destination and the tourist packages into Jordan via ‘Explore Jordan’.”
Explore Jordan
There is a new website under rj.com which is meant to showcase the variety of experiences Jordan has. “Jordan doesn’t have the awareness it deserves. Jordan for me, as a non-Jordanian, is the most authentic, truly Arabian country with a wide variety of activities. So, we developed ‘Explore Jordan’ with RJ to explain the nine pillars of experiences Jordan offers,” he added.
The nine pillars include Culinary Tourism, which is vegetarian friendly, Adventure that includes the Jordan Trail, Art and Lifestyle with 20 art galleries in Amman alone, great nightlife, beautiful weather in the summer with cool evenings and hot days. Another pillar is Contemporary Heritage with modern museums, and Holy Travel for Christians and Muslims. Five out of the top 10 Vatican sites are in Jordan.
Makhlouf said, “Through ‘Explore Jordan’ we want to promote Jordan together with the two operators as the new destination for Indian tourists. In good years, like in 2023, we used to receive 80,000 Indian tourists, which I think is not much. So, our aim is to double this number within the next 12 to 18 months with non-stop flights and increase connectivity further. We will adjust our capacity to the Indian tourism behaviour. This means, if we get more numbers from India, we are ready to increase our capacity.” For Indians, Jordan has in principle visa-on-arrival facility. One can apply for it online. However, if tourists buy a package from Explore Jordan, then the visa is free.
Amman, the hub of Royal Jordanian Airlines, will serve as a gateway for Indian travellers to Europe, North America, and the Middle East.
Isha Goyal, Chief Executive Officer, STIC Travel Group, said, “We are excited to announce the much-awaited Royal Jordanian non-stop services, connecting India and Amman. Travel agents across the country can now book through the GDS. So, please plan ahead. Jordan is a fantastic leisure destination.”
