Q&A: Is it safe to travel to Jordan right now?
Q:I have booked a holiday to Jordan, but is it safe to travel there in the wake of growing military activity in the region?
A: The Hashemite Kingdom of Jordan, a popular winter sun destination for tourists, has traditionally been considered safe. Since the Hamas attack on Israel on October 7th 2023 the region has seen escalating military action around Gaza and the Rafah border with Egypt. When the fight tipped into the Red Sea, many cruises redesigned their itineraries to destinations away from Aqba, the only coastal city in Jordan.
On Tuesday, the Jordanian airspace was temporarily closed after ballistic missiles from Iran targeted at Israel were intercepted over Jordan – including over Amman. The immediate result was the cancellation or diversion of several flights. The Jordanian airspace is open again.
The FCDO – Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office – advises “against all travel to within 3km of the border with Syria” and continues to highlight that Syria is “fragile” and “security threats in the form of instability or terrorist activity could arise with little or no notice”.
The FCDO advises against all travel to Syria and to “be particularly cautious” in areas close to the Jordanian borders with Israel, the West Bank and Syria and points out that there may be “heightened anti-western sentiment”.
However, Jordan is a huge country with its most popular historic sites are a safe distance from the danger zones.
What if I have booked a package holiday to Jordan?
Travellers who have booked package holidays to the FCDO 3km “no go” area can cancel and receive a full refund. Holidays to other popular regions in Jordan such as Petra, Wadi Rum, the Dead Sea and Amman are considered safe and not eligible for a refund. These destinations are at least seven hours’s drive away from the 3km zone.
The post Q&A: Is it safe to travel to Jordan right now? appeared first on The Travel Magazine.
