The upcoming launch of easyJet flights from London Gatwick to Aqaba in Jordan will open up one of the Middle East’s most exciting destinations to travellers from the UK.

The one-flight-per-week service commences on November 10 on Saturdays, until March 23 2019. Tickets are already on sale, with prices from £41.98 one way.

The historic port city on the Red Sea’s Gulf of Aqaba boasts beaches, premier snorkelling and scuba diving, and unbeatable access to Jordan’s south, where highlights include the famous ancient city of Petra and the spectacular desert landscapes of Wadi Rum.

Aqaba has been transformed in recent years with billion-dollar development in two new resorts – Ayla and Saraya Aqaba – that welcome holidaymakers with new four and five-star hotels, activity experiences, a marina, restaurants and beach clubs.

With average high temperatures reaching above 20 degrees centigrade during the winter months, and additional developments including Jordan’s first 18-hole championship golf course, a professional-quality wake-boarding park, and the region’s first water park, Aqaba is fast becoming the region’s leading winter sun destination.

Visitor numbers to Jordan from the UK have grown in recent years following the launch of the Jordan Trail, a nation-long walking trail showcasing the diverse range of experiences the country has to offer, and the resurgence of consumer confidence in the destination.

UK visitor numbers increased 6% in 2017 year-on-year.

Minister of Tourism and Antiquities Lina Annab said: “This new partnership with easyJet is very exciting.

“We’re very happy to see easyJet operating in the Kingdom and we see this as a

long-term collaboration between Jordan and one of the world’s most renowned low-cost carriers.

“This collaboration will contribute towards increasing the number of tourists to Jordan’s Golden Triangle (Aqaba, Petra and Wadi Rum) and we’re working together to increase the number of routes into Aqaba with easyJet over the next few years.”

Stand: ME140, ME150