Economy

A major airport expansion, along with the addition of new international air routes, is expected to boost tourism and ease bottlenecks in the near term. Niche markets like medical tourism and ecotourism are offering promising avenues for sector expansion. The industry resumed brisk revenue growth in 2012, marking its continued recovery from the regional slowdown. The meetings, incentives,...

While most economic activity in Jordan is concentrated in Amman, the southern city of Aqaba is playing an increasingly significant role. The population of the city is expected to increase by 130% to 250,000 by 2020, making expansion of Aqaba’s infrastructure to improve air and maritime links within and beyond the region a key objective. A mix of development projects is under way to widen the city...

The state is pushing ahead with structural reforms that should provide a sound base for future development. GDP is forecast to expand by 3.5% in 2013, while the government has made reducing the fiscal deficit a priority. Trade opportunities with Iraq are also being explored, and longer-term initiatives, including the development of shale oil and renewables, should help to address long-standing...

Home to many important biblical and pilgrimage sites, the past several years have seen significant changes in Jordan, with protests, constitutional reforms and most recently, elections held in early 2013 all reshaping the country’s political landscape. With a Parliament made up of Chamber of Deputies and Senate, the development of political parties is high on the agenda, with King Abdullah...

This chapter features a rundown of the island’s leading hotels and contact information for various institutions, including government ministries, foreign consulates and embassies, emergency services, tourism companies and local media. It also includes information on society and etiquette, language, transport and visas for both business visitors and tourists.

Despite a number of notable uncertainties in the global economy, Bahrain’s economic outlook remains mostly positive. Largely insulated from international economic turmoil, the kingdom saw more than 6% GDP growth in 2008 and 3% in 2009. In 2012 the economy expanded at a rate of 3.4%, largely due to the robust private sector, which a number of government initiatives are aimed at supporting, such as...