The Jordan Hot List: 10 new reasons to visit in 2027
From major new Dead Sea developments and new-for-2027 UK tours to fresh ways to experience Petra, emerging destinations and a different side to the Red Sea, Jordan reveals what’s hot for 2027
Petra, Wadi Rum and the Dead Sea may be icons, but there is much more to discover in Jordan in 2027.
As the Kingdom continues to invest in new tourism experiences and infrastructure, new UK tour product is also making it easier for travellers to stay longer, travel deeper and discover a different side to the country – from the green hills and ancient cities of northern Jordan to Amman’s evolving food scene and the Red Sea coast.
Here, the Jordan Tourism Board reveals ten reasons to have Jordan on the travel radar for 2027.
1. A NEW-LOOK DEAD SEA
The lowest point on Earth is entering a new era, with three major tourism projects transforming the visitor experience.
The Dead Sea Corniche, Dead Sea Tourist Beach and Dead Sea Walkway are designed to turn the area into a more rounded year-round destination, adding new public spaces, leisure and entertainment alongside the wellness experiences for which the Dead Sea is already famous.
The developments give travellers even more reason to slow down and spend time in the region rather than simply stopping for its famous mineral-rich waters.
2. NEW FOR 2027: MORE WAYS TO DISCOVER JORDAN
UK travellers will have an expanding choice of escorted tours to Jordan in 2027, with tour operators offering itineraries that make it easy to combine the Kingdom’s headline sights with a broader experience of the destination.
Escorted programmes typically bring together Amman and the Roman city of Jerash with Petra, the desert landscapes of Wadi Rum and the Dead Sea, giving travellers the chance to experience several of Jordan’s contrasting landscapes, historic sites and communities in one journey.
The growing range of UK tour product reflects continued opportunities for travellers to experience Jordan beyond a short highlights break, with itineraries that encourage more time on the ground and a deeper exploration of the Kingdom.
For 2027, this breadth of escorted touring makes Jordan an accessible option for travellers looking to combine culture, history, nature and adventure within a single trip.
3. AQABA GETS A NEW EYE
Jordan’s Red Sea city continues its evolution with Aqaba Eye, a major new tourism and entertainment development on the southern coast.
Spanning more than 14,000 square metres close to some of Aqaba’s best diving sites, the attraction combines indoor and outdoor entertainment, dining and retail, adding another dimension to a destination already known for diving, snorkelling and winter sun.
4. PETRA: BEYOND THE TREASURY
In 2027, travellers are being encouraged to experience Petra beyond its most photographed façade.
New tourism programmes are being developed to encourage longer stays in the region, while experiences such as Little Petra and hiking into Petra via the Back Trail/Al Dayr Trail offer a very different perspective on the ancient Nabataean city.
The focus increasingly extends beyond the archaeological site itself, with local food, community encounters and experiences in the surrounding region giving visitors more reason to make Petra a multi-night destination.
5. JORDAN’S GOLDEN TRIANGLE ENTERS A NEW CHAPTER
Petra, Wadi Rum and Aqaba have long been three of Jordan’s biggest draws. Now plans are underway to connect them more closely through Jordan’s Golden Triangle tourism strategy.
The initiative focuses on better connections, community tourism and new tourism products across the three destinations, making it easier for visitors to combine ancient Petra, the desert landscapes of Wadi Rum and the Red Sea in one journey.
For 2027, it reinforces southern Jordan as a destination in its own right rather than simply a collection of individual stops.
6. GO NORTH TO UMM QAIS
One of Jordan’s best places to get off the traditional tourist trail is Umm Qais, the ancient Greco-Roman city of Gadara.
Set high above the Jordan Valley, the archaeological site combines Roman ruins with far-reaching views, while community-based experiences including home-cooked meals, beekeeping and locally led activities reveal another side to northern Jordan.
Umm Qais also sits at the beginning of the northern section of the Jordan Trail, with routes through olive groves, oak forests, villages and ancient sites opening up a greener side of the Kingdom many first-time visitors never see.
7. DISCOVER JORDAN’S UNESCO CITY OF HOSPITALITY
Less than an hour from Amman, As-Salt offers an easy way to experience Jordanian life beyond the capital.
The hillside city is recognised by UNESCO as the “Place of Tolerance and Urban Hospitality”, with distinctive yellow-stone Ottoman architecture, historic houses, markets and a tradition of hospitality that remains central to local life.
Combined with nearby Ajloun and Umm Qais, it provides the foundations for a northern Jordan itinerary that takes travellers well beyond the country’s traditional highlights.
8. AMMAN IS HAVING A FOOD MOMENT
Jordan’s capital is increasingly becoming a destination for travellers who plan their trips around what they eat.
Alongside institutions serving falafel, hummus, mansaf and knafeh, a new generation of chefs and restaurants is putting contemporary spins on Jordanian and Levantine cooking, while food tours, markets and home-dining experiences provide a route into the city’s culture.
It is another reason to give Amman more than a flying visit, using the capital as a place to begin exploring contemporary Jordan as well as a gateway to the country’s historic sites.
9. WALK A DIFFERENT SIDE OF JORDAN
Adventure travel continues to open up parts of Jordan that many visitors never previously encountered.
The Jordan Trail, which runs the length of the country from Umm Qais in the north to Aqaba in the south, connects forests, villages, archaeological sites, desert and mountains.
Travellers do not need to tackle the entire route. Individual sections can be incorporated into a wider holiday, whether hiking around northern Jordan, approaching Petra on foot or exploring the landscapes surrounding Dana and Feynan.
It is a way of experiencing Jordan at a slower pace while bringing visitors into closer contact with local communities and landscapes.
10. AQABA OFFERS A DIFFERENT KIND OF WINTER SUN
Jordan may be best known for desert landscapes, but Aqaba gives travellers access to the warm waters and coral reefs of the Red Sea.
Diving and snorkelling remain major draws, while beach resorts, waterfront developments and the growing range of entertainment experiences make Aqaba an increasingly rounded holiday destination.
Its location also makes it an ideal final stop after Petra and Wadi Rum – combining culture and adventure with a few days beside the sea.
Taken together, Jordan’s new tourism developments, growing UK tour product and expanding range of experiences point towards a broader way of discovering the Kingdom in 2027. From ancient cities and desert landscapes to nature, food, wellness and the Red Sea, its relatively compact geography makes it possible to experience remarkably different sides of the country within a single trip.
Aqaba also enters 2027 with new global recognition following the inscription of the Aqaba Marine Reserve on the UNESCO World Heritage List in 2026. Located at the northernmost tip of the Red Sea, the reserve encompasses coral reefs, seagrass beds and deeper reef habitats supporting exceptional marine biodiversity. Its heat-resilient corals and rich marine life add another compelling reason for nature lovers, divers and snorkellers to spend time on Jordan’s Red Sea coast.
Jordan’s events calendar is also adding fresh reasons to visit. Jordan MMA Week will bring activities to destinations including Amman, Jerash, the Dead Sea, Petra, Wadi Rum and Aqaba, combining mixed martial arts events with tourism and promotional experiences across the Kingdom, with figures from the sport expected to attend.
For travellers who think they already know Jordan, 2027 offers plenty of reasons to look again – and a taste of what is still to come.