Day: January 28, 2023

Amman, Citizens’ turnout for Umrah trips from August 2022 to the end of current January is “on the rise,” Head of the religious tourism committee at the Jordan Society of Tourism and Travel Agents (JSTA), Belal Rubin.

Rubin, in an interview with “Petra” on Saturday, said the “high and increasing” demand for Umrah trips last month was driven by school holidays, and the “appropriate and affordable” prices for Umrah trips.

During the last 6 months, he said number of people who performed Umrah ranged between 80k to 85k pilgrims by land and air, adding that the demand for Umrah trips will remain “strong and active” until the end of the next month of Ramadan.

Rubin indicated that the price of the Umrah trip by land ranges between JD250-275 per person in a quadruple room in 3-star hotels, while air trip costs JD450 to JD470 per person for the same hotel accommodation.

2, 2000 buses transported pilgrims by land during the past six months, he announced.

Source: Jordan News Agency

Amman, Ministry of Foreign Affairs and Expatriates on Saturday stressed the need to take “urgent and effective” steps to halt the “dangerous and condemnable” state of escalation, which has claimed the lives of Palestinian and Israeli civilians and threatens to evolve into cycles of violence, for which all will pay the price.

In a statement, the ministry’s official spokesperson, Sinan Majali, said Jordan condemns the attack that targeted civilians in a synagogue in East Jerusalem, as well as all acts of violence on civilians in the occupied Palestinian territories.

Jordan, he noted, condemns violence against civilians in all its forms and stresses the need to respect sanctity of worship places.

In addition, Majali stressed the need to take “immediate” action to prevent the escalating cycle of violence from exacerbating, intensify efforts to restore calm, and halt all unilateral and provocative measures that ignite further escalation and tension.

Majali also stressed the need to stop the “dangerous” deterioration that instills despair and fuels extremism by joining efforts to restore confidence in a “feasible” peace process by resuming “serious and effective” negotiations to achieve a just and comprehensive peace based on the two-state solution to enjoy peace and security.

Source: Jordan News Agency

Amman, The Ministry of Industry, Trade and Supply, Jordan’s state grain buyer, has issued an international tender to purchase 100,000, or 120, 000 tonnes of wheat.

In a statement on its website Saturday, the ministry called on potential suppliers to obtain a copy of the tender invitation, which details tendering terms and specifications for a non-refundable JD650.

The deadline for submission of price offers in the tender is 2pm, Tuesday, January 31, according to the statement.

Source: Jordan News Agency

Riyadh, Deputising for His Majesty King Abdullah II, His Royal Highness Crown Prince Al Hussein bin Abdullah II on Saturday attended part of the Formula E Championship Diriyah in Riyadh.

According to a royal court statement, the race was held under the patronage of Saudi Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman bin Abdulaziz, the prime minister of Saudi Arabia, and was attended by a number of senior officials and representatives of several countries.

Source: Jordan News Agency

Amman, Value of national exports to Greater Arab Free Trade Area (GAFTA) countries during the first 11 months of 2022 increased by 22.6% at JD2.5 billion, compared to the same period in 2021, which amounted to JD2 billion, according to foreign trade data issued by the Department of Statistics (DoS).

Meanwhile, value of the Kingdom’s imports from GAFTA nations went up during the January-November period of 2022 by 38.1% to reach JD5.4 billion, compared to JD3.9 billion for the same period in 2021.

According to DoS figures, the Kingdom’s trade balance deficit with GAFTA nations rose during the first 11 months 2022 to reach about JD2.9 billion, compared to JD1.9 billion for the corresponding period in 2021.

Saudi Arabia was the top importer of Jordanian exports during the first 11 months in 2022, which amounted to about JD768 million, followed by Iraq at about JD565 million, then Palestine at about JD182 million and the United Arab Emirates (UAE) at about JD165 million.

In addition, Saudi Arabia was the top exporter to Jordan, as the value of the Kingdom’s imports from the Arab Gulf nation amounted to approximately JD2.7 billion, followed by the UAE at about JD1.5 billion.

Source: Jordan News Agency