Transportation and tourism sustainability in major Jordanian tourism cities

Tourism in Jordan is a major industry that contributes significantly to the national income both from local and international tourism. Transportation is a key element in developing the economy of any country in the world. Transportation advancement plays a crucial role in tourism development and sustainability worldwide and in Jordan. This paper focuses, using Ajloun city (a major tourism area in northern Jordan) as a case study, on analyzing and assessing the existing transportation system conditions and their contribution to a sustainable tourism industry in Jordan. Spatial analysis is utilized to elaborate more about other related parameters such as topography, land use, road condition, and climate and their relation to tourism development in the study area. Results indicated that major modifications to the existing transportation system are needed to achieve a sustainable tourism industry in Jordan. Tourism planning in Jordan should take into consideration the physical system of transport as a major component of the tourism development master plan.