Jordan: a well organized scam

Submitted by Arisha (Netherlands), Oct 5, 2013 at 06:22

The Jordan tourist industry is a well organized scam as far as I am concerned. Look at the entrance fee of Petra: JOD 60 for tourists. 1 JOD for locals. 13 JOD for Arabs. That says it all doesn't it?

Then look at the average income of a Jordanian: JOD 600 a month is considered quite a good average salary. So why do tourists pay JOD 120 a day for a guide? Close to JOD 1500 for a week holiday?

The Jordan Tourism Board make me laugh. They approach travel bloggers, offer them a free trip, so that they will write a hallelujah story of their experience. But the travel bloggers don't really get to see the real Jordan. The Jordan where you are a walking ATM to the Jordanians, who will charge you 3 or 4 times more for everything you buy, who will smile their hospitable smile whilst squeezing every single dinar out of your pocket.

Comes a time when tourists will avoid Jordan all together. And they deserve that. Jordan is corrupt from top to bottom.

Unfortunately, the many scam artists of Jordan - and that includes the authorities - spoil it for the nice Jordanian people.

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