Amman, Dec. 30 (Petra) The Jordan Free and Development Zones Group (JFDZG) will enter an advanced phase of institutional work at the beginning of 2026, based on measured expansion, maximizing economic impact, and achieving sustainable development value, grounded in a clear vision aimed at enhancing the investment environment across various regions of the Kingdom.

According to a group statement on Tuesday, Chairman of JFDZS’ Board of Directors Sakher Al-Ajlouni said that the Group, as the government’s investment arm, continues to play its pivotal role in attracting quality investments to free zones and development zones, particularly free zones and the Dead Sea and Ajloun tourism development areas, noting that 2026 represents a decisive milestone in the Group’s journey.

Al-Ajlouni explained that the Group adopts a modern investment approach that balances economic feasibility with developmental impact, focusing on projects capable of generating job opportunities, stimulating the tourism sector, and enhancing Jordan’s position as a regional investment destination. He added that the coming phase will witness the opening of new strategic projects, alongside projects whose agreements have been signed and have entered implementation stages.

For his part, JFDZS Director General Abdul Hamid Al-Gharaibeh said that economic indicators for the performance of free zones during the period from Jan. 1, 2025 until Oct. 31, 2025, compared with the same period last year, reflect high resilience and advanced capacity to adapt to regional and international economic and trade changes.

Al-Gharaibeh stated that total trade volume in free zones reached around 5 billion Jordanian dinars as of Dec. 1, 2025, recording growth of 17 percent compared with the same period in 2024, while total exports rose to about 2.6 billion dinars, with a growth rate of 15 percent, confirming the continued vital role of free zones as a main driver of trade and re-export activity.

He added that local exports recorded growth of 12 percent, while international exports increased by 18 percent, noting that these results reflect improved competitiveness of the national product and growing confidence of external markets in the investment environment within Jordan’s free zones.

On the financial side, Al-Gharaibeh said that revenues of free zones rose by 9 percent to reach about 26 million dinars, indicating the efficiency of operational and administrative policies and the sustainability of economic activity within the zones.

Regarding investment, he noted that the number of investment agreements reached 2,686 agreements, recording growth of 3 percent, a clear indicator of the continued attractiveness of free zones for investments despite surrounding geopolitical challenges, with growth recorded in investment agreements in the airport free zone.

With regard to goods movement, he pointed out that the value of internationally exported goods increased by 18 percent, in addition to a notable rise in the weights of exported goods, reflecting improved efficiency of logistics activity and supply chains.

Al-Gharaibeh also addressed the performance of the Zarqa Free Zone – vehicle sector, confirming that it constituted one of the most prominent growth drivers, as the number of incoming and outgoing vehicles rose by more than 50 percent, with significant growth in local and international vehicle exports, particularly electric and hybrid vehicles, in line with global trends toward clean energy.

He said China, South Korea, the United States, Japan, and Germany topped the list of vehicle-supplying countries, while Iraq, Syria, Saudi Arabia, and the UAE were among the leading destinations for vehicles exported under the transit system, underscoring Jordan’s pivotal role as a regional hub for trade and re-export.

Al-Gharaibeh concluded by affirming that free zones are moving forward with developing infrastructure, updating procedures, and improving the business environment in line with best practices, enhancing their competitiveness, supporting the national economy, and keeping pace with future investment trends with confidence and stability.

The Group also reviewed key investment projects in the Dead Sea Development Zone, confirming that the area is witnessing accelerated investment momentum reflecting the confidence of local and regional investors.

The Group said it signed an investment contract to establish a fully equipped public beach including six luxury chalets, two restaurants, an oriental handicrafts bazaar, and swimming pools, on an area of eight dunums in addition to the beachfront, with an investment volume of 1.5 million dinars and providing 30 direct job opportunities.

It added that it is in the process of signing an agreement for another equipped beach project including 18 distinctive chalets, with an investment volume of 3 million dinars and providing around 150 job opportunities.

As part of diversifying the tourism and entertainment product, the Group signed an agreement with a company affiliated with the King Abdullah II Fund for Development to establish a unique project in Jordan consisting of a multi-use circuit for speed sports, adventure activities, and drone racing on an area of 133 dunums, with an investment volume of 1 million dinars and providing 50 job opportunities.

The Group indicated that the first quarter of 2026 will witness the opening of an integrated tourism project comprising 21 chalets, a restaurant, a swimming pool with panoramic views, and a large theater for celebrations on the shores of the Dead Sea, on an area of five dunums in addition to the beachfront, with an investment volume of 3 million dinars and providing about 80 job opportunities.

It is also expected that a four-star hotel project will open during the last quarter of 2026, comprising 100 hotel rooms and 60 chalet-style villas, with an investment volume of 30 million dinars (Saudi investment), providing between 200 and 250 job opportunities.

The Amman Tourist Beach has also been reopened in line with government directions and the decision to assign the Group to operate and manage this important tourism facility at the Dead Sea, granting it the right of disposal and usufruct of the project, in addition to its operation, in accordance with best administrative and operational practices.

The Amman Tourist Beach extends over an area of about 240 dunums and is designed to receive more than 4,500 visitors at the same time, offering a comprehensive, safe, and family-friendly beach experience supported by modern facilities, shaded seating areas, and high-quality services meeting various visitor needs. The project will contribute to providing job opportunities for members of the local community, alongside adopting an active corporate social responsibility program reflecting the Group’s commitment to its developmental and social role and enhancing the positive impact of projects on the local environment and surrounding community.

Ajloun Development Zone is considered a living example of the success of the Jordanian model in integrating tourism with sustainable development, with the Ajloun Cable Car standing as evidence of changing tourism dynamics in the north of the Kingdom, having surpassed one million visitors to date.

The Group has also begun work on the Ajloun Park project, which extends over an area of about 700 dunums to be developed in two phases. The first phase includes 140 dunums, and the second phase 150 dunums within the first development segment, with remaining areas to be completed later. The project includes between 15 and 20 diverse investment opportunities and will constitute a key pillar in achieving sustainable development in Ajloun governorate and neighboring areas by stimulating local and foreign investment.

Investment opportunities include various tourism and recreational components, including a four-star hotel, a boutique hotel, an eco-lodge, a camping area for university and school students, a family park, children’s play areas, an adventure zone, an outdoor cinema, and multi-purpose halls, opening the door for the private sector to enter into genuine developmental partnerships serving the region.

The project will contribute to providing more than 200 direct job opportunities for residents of Ajloun governorate, in addition to hundreds of indirect jobs during the construction and operation phases.

//Petra// AF