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Original poster

Would you go to Jordan right now?

84 replies

BackT · 17/10/2023 21:39

My mum is due to go on a long awaited tour of Jordan and the Dead Sea on Thursday.

She's with her friend and a tour group of older people.

I'm worried but I also don't want to say don't go. She was in a controlling relationship for years and she's an intelligent educated adult.

Would you go?

OP posts:
Jugglingitallmum · 17/10/2023 22:34

Lots of footage on X of riots there - I would not be going.

Efacsen · 17/10/2023 22:37

Jordan cancels tomorrows summit with Biden

Original poster
BackT · 18/10/2023 00:38

HeidiInTheBigCity · 17/10/2023 22:13

Let me elaborate:

When I said "I would not for a nice family holiday" what I did NOT mean was "because I think it could be particularly dangerous for her, personally, with or without the risk of being mistaken for American". Now - things can always happen, to anyone (point in case: apparently, one of the victims of the shooting in Brussels, yesterday, was living in Switzerland and working for the local railway company, ... conversely: an Indian colleague of mine died in a horrible freak accident while on a "meet the local team" business trip a couple of years ago).

What I DO mean is: the situation is incredibly volatile! The hospital strike, in my opinion, and speaking as someone who has lived in the region, is going to prove to be a pivotal point!

Personally, I would NOT worry about being personally targeted! I WOULD worry about getting stuck during a crisis in a place where I do not even understand the TV news (which, in my case: I do - also know people I could literally just call and say "yeah, hi, so: I seem to be in a bit of a pickle and - can I crash on your couch?!").

This is exactly my fear. Getting stuck somewhere.

OP posts:
CopperLion · 18/10/2023 00:49

No way. The situation is completely volatile. I FCO advice could easily change once she is there in response to the escalating events. I would be imploring my mum not to go!

BarbieKew · 18/10/2023 00:50

Tricky one, I’d usually say go unless the FCO or tour operator said not to. But this situation is making me feel very uneasy about the Middle East generally, I’d be in a real quandary if I was flying tomorrow and sceptical of reassurances. It’s so volatile over there and with Iran et al on the edge I’d be concerned about terrorist attacks / protests / flight embargoes etc.

Barleysugar86 · 18/10/2023 00:59

I took a trip from my home in London to a poor potentially volatile country and remember sitting in my hotel room in shock watching the London tube bombings on the news on the TV. And then Thailand had some violent protests a couple of years ago whilst I was travelling in the country but it had no impact on where we were at all.

So no I wouldn't worry about anyone who said they were travelling there soon personally, but I might not seek it out as a destination right now if I hadn't booked already. I changed my plans to see Romania after Russia attacked Ukraine thinking it was too close for comfort and it was going to be WW3 but it would have been absolutely fine in hindsight!

PrinceYakimov · 18/10/2023 01:09

I would but would be careful where I went in Amman - a huge proportion (about 90%) of the population in Amman are of Palestinian origin and there have been huge demonstrations about the government's position on the war in the last couple of days. Don't wander off into neighbourhoods with no tourists or go near demonstrations.

I would also stay away from the border area in the north near the Golan Heights (I would stay further away than FCDO advises), and avoid conversations on politics.

Blackandwhitemakesgrey · 18/10/2023 01:12

No.

Enyo2 · 18/10/2023 01:15

@BackT You can veg Foreign Office travel advice. It’s a govt frog so easy to search online :)

PrinceYakimov · 18/10/2023 01:20

The only thing that would make me think twice is the flights. I would want to check they don't go over Israel at all.

Non-Israeli civilian carriers are not using Israeli airspace at the moment. Most flights to Amman are being routed across Egypt and round the southern tip of Israel to avoid both Israel and Syria.

The only traffic over Israel is military aircraft and Israeli carriers like El Al, who are very bravely continuing to operate, so they can ferry reservists back.

Jelllytot · 18/10/2023 01:22

No.

I saw they stormed the Israeli embassy there. Doesn't feel safe.

Immajaz · 18/10/2023 15:16

I was due to go to Jordan last week, alone but joining a group. I cancelled. The situation is too new and too volatile to potentially be stuck in the middle of. I'll head to Jordan some time in the future whe things have settled down (hopefully). As much as I appreciate they need tourism, it just doesn't see safe right now. Much of the stuff you are seeing on forums saying it's safe are your operators trying to keep people travelling.

Original poster
BackT · 18/10/2023 20:33

Well it looks like the decision has been taken out of her hands. Her travel companion has been rushed to hospital.

Thanks for all the advice. Such a shame and she might well loose the money for the trip as we are not sure if her travel insurance will cover it as she COULD go alone.

OP posts:
TeamGeriatric · 18/10/2023 21:51

Oh no, rubbish or maybe fateful timing, hope her friend gets well soon. I actually think I would have travelled, tour companies have a large network of local contacts and would pull you out immediately if they felt it necessary or travel advice changed.

eurochick · 19/10/2023 01:15

Oh dear. I hope the insurance pays out.

Fwiw we had two options for an October half term holiday, one of which was Jordan. I'm currently very relieved that before this kicked off we booked the other option. I would not like to be travelling to that part of the world at the moment.

rosemaryandparsley · 19/10/2023 01:23

Latest advice from FO,

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

Baroda32 · 19/10/2023 07:15

I am due to go to Jordan on 4 Nov on a cycling holiday with my daughter. Understandably neither of us are keen. FCO advice is still that it is safe but say there is a likelihood of terrorist attacks especially in tourist areas. How can thry say it’s safe and say that? Unless FCO deem it unsafe we will not get any money back.

lovescats3 · 19/10/2023 09:01

No

notimagain · 19/10/2023 09:04

How can they say it’s safe and say that?

That current FCO brief looks to like it follows the fairly standard template for countries where there's a chance of unrest in/around certain areas....i.e. avoid demos, embassy's etc..risk of attacks in certain areas...I read a few of these over the years and I don't think they ever give an unqualified "it is safe" for anywhere...the FCO are also very very reluctant to say somewhere is completely unsafe.

It's also worth remembering is the FCO advice and brief isn't just written for tourists, it's also written for people going to and from Jordon for business and family reasons who know the local situation/get local advice and possibly would not appreciate the FCO ramping up travel advisories to blanket "do not travel" for everybody...

I appreciate that doesn't help from a travel insurance POV.

GCAcademic · 19/10/2023 09:08

Baroda32 · 19/10/2023 07:15

I am due to go to Jordan on 4 Nov on a cycling holiday with my daughter. Understandably neither of us are keen. FCO advice is still that it is safe but say there is a likelihood of terrorist attacks especially in tourist areas. How can thry say it’s safe and say that? Unless FCO deem it unsafe we will not get any money back.

Edited

The FCO advice for many, many countries, including European countries, flags a high likelihood of terrorist attacks. If it had to write advice on the UK, it would say the same.

Having said that, I wouldn't want to go there now (I'd been planning a trip but hadn't booked it, so will hold off for now), especially as a British tourist, given the strong pro-Israeli stance our government is espousing.

Normalsizedsalad · 19/10/2023 09:12

Baroda32 · 19/10/2023 07:15

I am due to go to Jordan on 4 Nov on a cycling holiday with my daughter. Understandably neither of us are keen. FCO advice is still that it is safe but say there is a likelihood of terrorist attacks especially in tourist areas. How can thry say it’s safe and say that? Unless FCO deem it unsafe we will not get any money back.

Edited

It says that for germany etc too. I think it says it for everywhere now

Normalsizedsalad · 19/10/2023 09:16

If it had to write advice on the UK, it would say the same
Uk is on substantial threat level which says "an attack is likely" so yeah.
Canada shows UK as exercise a high degree of caution for example too

Baroda32 · 19/10/2023 09:22

Thanks to those that have replied. I am aware that guidance from FCO on many destinations will also flag high risk of terrorist attacks but I do think that right now this is a very different scenario. My trip is full but I wouldn't mind betting that if you asked each traveller if they could cancel with a full refund that they would. With the Western World becoming more involved it is not feeling very safe. I am not sure that I could enjoy the trip to the fullest knowing what is happening not too any miles away.

Baroda32 · 19/10/2023 09:26

BackT · 18/10/2023 20:33

Well it looks like the decision has been taken out of her hands. Her travel companion has been rushed to hospital.

Thanks for all the advice. Such a shame and she might well loose the money for the trip as we are not sure if her travel insurance will cover it as she COULD go alone.

When my friend who I was supposed to be going skiing with tore her ACL and had to cancel my insurance covered me. Call them,

Bells3032 · 19/10/2023 09:26

The dead sea is going to be very near the Israeli border so would probably advise to avoid those areas. honestly really depends on where you want to go and what the cancellation options are too