Jordan offers host of undiscovered options for Arab families this summer

'Jordan is well known for its summer festivals, and cultural events - all of which make it a favourite leisure destination. We are using Arabian Travel Market as a platform to highlight Souk Ukaz and the Jerash Festival. Families from the Gulf wishing to escape the hot summer months, will find the Mediterranean climate ideal,' said Marwan Khoury, Managing Director of the JTB at Arabian Travel Market this week.

'We offer a host of undiscovered options to Arab holidaymakers with varied interests - with a wealth of incentives from historical attractions, remote desert canyons, beautiful scenery to excellent hotel accommodation, luxurious spas, diverse shopping, and of course our warm hospitality.'

The summer-long festivals, which Jordan is renowned for, provide non-stop entertainment to visitors catering for all tastes.

The Souk Ukaz 2004 Festival which is being staged for the fourth consecutive year in Amman, starts on July 17 and will run until end September under the Patronage of Her Majesty Queen Rania Al Abdullah of Jordan. Using the model of the souk to create an international cultural market and art exhibition, the festival will host artists from throughout Africa, the Middle East, and the Americas - through collaboration with renowned institutions such as the Beittedine Festival and Baalbeck Festivals in Lebanon, the Institute du Monde Arabe and Maison des Cultures du Monde in Paris, the Cairo Opera House and Arts International in New York.

Meanwhile, the annual two-week Jerash Festival which runs from July 21ST to August 7TH is the most renowned festival in Jordan with performances by artists, poetry readings and films. Offering visitors a cultural melange of Arab and international talent including Fadel Shaker, Kathem Al Saher and George Wassouf, the festivities are held in the extensive ruins of ancient Jerash, including two Roman amphitheatres.

With daily direct flights from the Gulf countries to Amman, Jordan offers the perfect holiday choice for Arab families. The most popular destinations among Arab holidaymakers are Petra, Aqaba, Jerash, the Dead Sea and Wadi Rum, with Amman as the business hot spot. Jordan is renowned for its archaeological riches, from Neolithic ruins to desert castles - in particular the rock-carved city of Petra - a UNESCO World Heritage Site, as well as the spectacular wilderness of Wadi Rum, the Red Sea coral reefs, and the healing powers of the magnificent Dead Sea.