Bahrain, Culture, Economics, Jordan, Saudi Arabia

Jordanians Space out with Star Trek, about that Missing Humor…….

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“A Star Trek-themed attraction is set to boldly go ahead in Jordan, as US$1.5 billion of funding has been secured for a major tourism and theme park development. Construction work on the 74-hectare Red Sea Astrarium project in Aqaba, which will include four hotels and 17 entertainment developments, is expected to start early next year. The project is being funded by investors from the US and the Gulf, according to a partner in the project. The Amman company Rubicon Group Holding, which makes animated films, said in May it would design and produce the entertainment elements of the resort. The total investment in the project will be $1.5bn (Dh5.5bn), said Randa Ayoubi, the chief executive of Rubicon. “They have a group of investors. The main Jordanian investor is the King Abdullah Fund,” Ms Ayoubi said, in reference to the King Abdullah II Fund for Development (KAFD). “There are many American and investors from the Gulf [as well],” she added, without giving further details……..”

I guess there will be no more travel for the king and queen of Jordan. They may move the palace into the theme park. Not even another invitation to address a joint session of the U.S. Congress would lure the king away from Spock and Kirk and Uhura.
Fine and dandy, a good way to spend Gulf aid and investment money, but that still leaves out what Jordanians, including their king need the most: humor. The country, even with a funny Star Trek theme park will still lack the sense of humor necessary to make it a true first class tourist attraction like, say, Egypt. Maybe they can hire William Shatner (Captain Kirk) away from Priceline to work at the park?

On a more serious note: I don’t believe Jordan gets the massive volume of tourism that would make a Star Trek park profitable, especially not on the Red Sea where most Jordanians probably don’t go. It is just too far from the population centers. Unless they think they can lure a big chunk of the Saudi tourism that now prefers Lebanon, Dubai, Cairo, and Bahrain. Not clear when the hookers (les girls) will be back on the beat in Bahrain, with the uprising still in full swing: the Jordanians need to import some of those to Aqaba to attract enough of the Saudi male tourism. All this after Ramadan of course.
Cheers
mhg


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