To feel guilty about going on holiday to Jordan/Mount Sinai

[Twodogsonthecouch]

I’m due to fly to Jordan on 28th March for 8 days and then on to Mount Sinai and Dahab for 4 days. I’m really looking forward to seeing Petra, Wadi Rum the Dead Sea as well as climbing Mount Sinai and snorkelling in the Red Sea.
Obviously I will be following government advice on whether or not it is safe to go so that’s not really my question. It’s more that I feel funny about going on holiday to somewhere where it must be very emotive and scary for those living there. It feels somehow voyeuristic.
Is this just me being silly and overthinking it?

I have year round multi trip insurance already

Next to an active war zone. I dont think so

Honestly. This is not about travel insurance. It’s about how people feel about travelling in areas adjacent to areas of unrest. I never mentioned financial concerns. I have insurance. If I cancel without being advised to and my insurance doesn’t cover it I will rake the hit.. thankfully I can afford it but one way or the other it’s a sunk cost now

Even if you end up in hospital?
Let me get this straight. You are prepared to risk travelling to a country which borders an active war zone, even if your travel insurance is deemed null and void??

And you main concern is that the locals wont be very hospitable!!

FML

Well, only you can make that decision, it's about your level of comfort. There will always be conflict and wars.

I’m not going to engage with this argument any further. Jordan and Egypt have been adjacent to areas of unrest for years. Unless the travel advice changes my insurance will be fine. If it does change I will not be travelling.
I’m not concerned that people will be inhospitable. I’m not that absorbed in myself at all. I’m concerned that it might be insensitive.
Obviously you don’t see my concerns. I get it. I got it after your first post. That’s perfectly reasonable. I do wonder why you are wasting your headspace with it if you think it’s so ridiculous

Honestly? Your mad to go, it will most likely end up not being advised to travel there.

I don't think people would consider you to be insensitive, as long as you are respectful. I suppose some would question why you want to holiday there, but I doubt it'll be a problem.

You won't be doing them any favours by taking away their income from tourism. So, as long as it's safe enough to travel then you should go!

Locals won't mind. It's their income and as pp said, it's been harsh years.
Tip well. We did. Everyone

I thought homosexuality was illegal in UAE? How did they get visas?

If you want to feel guilty in a different direction. They need your money and you're me-railing about how you feel about your holidays.

Follow advice, understand that typically tourism is a source of income and people after events need tourists to keep coming or come again.

My daughter managed to leave Amman yesterday morning having spent a night hearing countless drones/missiles being intercepted. She lived in Jordan for several years, and all her husband’s family live there; they had gone there for Ramadan but they were very thankful to get out yesterday. She said that they left when they did because they were more afraid of getting stranded in Jordan as the situation escalates rather than feeling that they were in imminent danger, but I wouldn’t expect to be visiting Jordan in the near future!

If it is safe to go, think of it as a bit of normality that you and your fellow travellers bring to places you are going to visit. You are ensuring local people have jobs and get much needed wages.

Most posters aren't answering what you asked which is (i think) if the locals would consider you lofty and/or nosy to visit given the tensions either side of the country which Jordan is trying not to get drawn into but will be apprehensive about given the geography.

I don't think that will be the case. Jordan and some of the other countries in the region have worked very hard to market themselves as appealing and interesting tourist destinations and in turn their success with that has provided welcome jobs and cash flow. If it's deemed safe to travel by late March you will likely be warmly welcomed.

I'm quite invested in this as we had been planning to go to Jordan in May half term, was due to pay the deposit today but I'm putting it on hold until the ME situation is clearer and we may well put off until next year. I've done lots of research and it seems like an absolutely fascinating, beautiful and welcoming country with locals who are really proud of its popularity as a holiday destination.

Locals will be much appreciative of the money at this point as they will be well aware that any income from tourism is liable to dry up for a while. They've seen this dry up before and know that it's going to mean things are going to get tough for a while. If the outlook isn't looking great they probably won't think twice about trying to make the most of the opportunity as cash in hand is always preferable to none.

Your concerns really are this point should be for your personal safety and whether you can get back ok. Do you think it's sensible to go for these reasons? Is it still practical? Are trips going to still be running? Etc etc.

https://www.gov.uk/foreign-travel-advice/jordan
@Twodogsonthecouch

Foreign office advising against all travel to Jordan

Thanks for the information. That’s actually unchanged from what it has been for years as it is for parts of Jordan and those parts are the border with Syria. The rest of Jordan is fine at the moment though

No it doesn't.
PARTS of Jordan.

And that's been case for decade

The people who live where you are going will desperately want you to go, as they need the income from tourism. So please do go ahead with your trip - Jordan and Sinai are both wonderful places, and I highly recommend.

I’ve been to Jordan many times. I’d be wary going now. Royal Jordanian are still flying but all Wizz air and other airlines are cancelled until 8th March.

The foreign office advises not to travel close to the Syrian border. It’s been like that since I first went in 2019.

Most people are choosing to misunderstand you. I think the locals would be overjoyed to see you tbh and you wouldn't get any bad feeling from them. Sitting drinking a cocktail not far from a warzone, yes I'd feel very uncomfortable I suspect, it would feel inappropriate and disrespectful possibly.

Geography and politics are quite important here. Jordan is not at war with anyone and geographically is a good distance from where the trouble is centred. As for it being voyeuristic, if tourists stop going to the Middle East it will be the hospitality staff that suffer. I am sure they will welcome you with open arms.

Just don't drink smoothies🙈