Aqaba City Guide

Jordan's only coastal city, Aqaba sits at the head of the Red Sea where the Aqaba Special Economic Zone (ASEZ), established in 2001 across 375 square kilometres with 27 kilometres of shoreline, gives investors a distinctly liberal regime: a flat 5% income tax, simplified customs, and a foreign-ownership framework friendlier than mainland Jordan. The waterfront is being reshaped by a cluster of mega-resorts: Ayla Oasis (1.4 billion USD, with a Greg Norman golf course), Saraya Aqaba (1.5 billion USD), the established Tala Bay community to the south, and the 10 billion USD Marsa Zayed regeneration of the old port that broke ground in 2024. Tourism is the core demand driver: hotel-managed and serviced apartments command the strongest occupancy and ROI, particularly waterfront stock in Tala Bay and Ayla. National property trading rose roughly 2% over the first nine months of 2025, and February 2025 reforms eased residency rules for foreign owners. With a population near 242,000 and steady infrastructure investment, Aqaba enters 2026 as Jordan's principal lifestyle and second-home market rather than a high-yield speculative play.