The Aqaba Carnival, an annual event that aims to encourage both locals and foreigners to visit the port city and its tourist attractions, will be held in August, according to an official.

This year the launch of the month-long carnival, which was started in 2014, comes after the port city witnessed a drop in the number of COVID cases.

"Fifty-five per cent of people who live in Aqaba are vaccinated. Anyone who wants to enter Aqaba has to either show their vaccination certificate or must undergo a PCR test,” the Secretary General of the Aqaba Special Economic Zone (ASEZA), Sharhabeel Madi, said.

Both the Jordanian Tourism Board (JTB) and ASEZA are working to encourage both local and international tourists to visit Aqaba, the official said.

He added that the JTB and ASEZA are in contact with hotels to get special rates and are working with local travel agents to arrange trips to "the Golden Triangle”, which includes Aqaba, Wadi Rum and Petra.

On the other hand, the JTB is working with international travel agents and international airlines, and they have started with Romania, he said.

"Romanian airlines are getting different types of tax reductions and a discount on the landing fees at King Hussein International Airport in Aqaba,” he added.

Meanwhile, Anas Al Edwan said that the JTB is contributing financially to the "Urdun Jannah” programme, which encourages domestic tourism