National Geographic Lists ‘Jordan Trail’ among Best 21 Tourism Destinations for 2018

The Jordan Trail. (AFP)
The Jordan Trail. (AFP)
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National Geographic Lists ‘Jordan Trail’ among Best 21 Tourism Destinations for 2018

The Jordan Trail. (AFP)
The Jordan Trail. (AFP)

The Jordan Trail has been listed among the best tourism destinations for 2018 by National Geographic Travel.

This list features the top 21 cultural and nature destinations worth visiting during the upcoming year. The choices were divided into three main categories: cities, culture and nature.

George Stone, editor of National Geographic Traveler said: "Our mission is to inspire curiosity among our readers and encourage them to explore the world with passion and purpose.”

“The 21 destinations we chose for 2018 will definitely lead to a great year of delightful explorations, which represent a dream program for inspired travelers.”

“This list relies on the values adopted by National Geographic Travel ​​in learning about cultures and civilizations, and preserving heritage, environment, and sustainability,” he added.

For her part, Muna Haddad, president of the Jordan Trail Association, said: "This rank is well deserved. We are grateful to encourage visitors to take this amazing journey, to get to know Jordan closely, by hiking in the trail and experiencing the Jordanian hospitality.”

“Many adventurers have worked for many years to make Jordan's diverse nature available for all, by fulfilling the dream of Jordan Trail. This important recognition is a celebration of their efforts in placing Jordan on the global map of tourism,” she added.

The Jordan Trail is a long route that extends over 650 km, crosses the entire Jordan, from Umm Qais in the north to Aqaba in the south.

Haddad highlighted the continued support of partners and supporters for further development of the trail and to transform it into an economic catalyst in the regions it passes through.

The best tourism destinations in the world for 2018 are: Albania, Cleveland in Ohio, Dublin in Ireland, Friesland in the Netherlands, Harar in Ethiopia, Jordan Trail in Jordan, Jujuy in Argentina, Labrador in Canada, Madagascar, Malmo in Sweden, Oahu in Hawaii, Oaxaca in Mexico, Phnom Penh in Cambodia, Rua Neb in Tanzania, San Antonio in Texas, Santiago in Chile, Suraxan National Park in South Korea, Sydney in Australia, Tbilisi in Georgia, Tetouan in Morocco, and Vienna in Austria.

The Jordan Trail, run by the Jordan Trail Association, passes through 52 villages and crosses various natural areas, including forests, deserts and valleys. The Jordan Trail Association was established by a group of adventure enthusiasts in 2015 to develop and manage the trail.



Japan Launches Climate Change Monitoring Satellite

Japan Aerospace Exploration Agency (JAXA) H2A rocket is seen at the lauch pad before its 50th and final launch at Tanegashima Space Center in Kagoshima Prefecture, southwestern Japan, 28 June 2025. EPA/JIJI PRE/JIJI PRESS
Japan Aerospace Exploration Agency (JAXA) H2A rocket is seen at the lauch pad before its 50th and final launch at Tanegashima Space Center in Kagoshima Prefecture, southwestern Japan, 28 June 2025. EPA/JIJI PRE/JIJI PRESS
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Japan Launches Climate Change Monitoring Satellite

Japan Aerospace Exploration Agency (JAXA) H2A rocket is seen at the lauch pad before its 50th and final launch at Tanegashima Space Center in Kagoshima Prefecture, southwestern Japan, 28 June 2025. EPA/JIJI PRE/JIJI PRESS
Japan Aerospace Exploration Agency (JAXA) H2A rocket is seen at the lauch pad before its 50th and final launch at Tanegashima Space Center in Kagoshima Prefecture, southwestern Japan, 28 June 2025. EPA/JIJI PRE/JIJI PRESS

Japan on Sunday launched a satellite monitoring greenhouse gas emissions using its longtime mainstay H-2A rocket, which made its final flight before it is replaced by a new flagship designed to be more cost competitive in the global space market.

The H-2A rocket lifted off from the Tanegashima Space Center in southwestern Japan, carrying the GOSAT-GW satellite as part of Tokyo’s effort to mitigate climate change.

Mitsubishi Heavy Industries, which operates the rocket launch, and Japan Aerospace Exploration Agency, will hold a news conference later Sunday to give further details of the flight.

Sunday's launch marked the 50th and final flight for the H-2A, which has served as Japan’s mainstay rocket to carry satellites and probes into space with near-perfect record since its 2001 debut. After its retirement, it will be fully replaced by the H3, which is already in operation, as Japan's new main flagship, The Associated Press reported.

The launch follows several days of delay due to malfunctioning in the rocket’s electrical systems.

The GOSAT-GW, or Global Observing SATellite for Greenhouse gases and Water cycle, is a third series in the mission to monitor carbon, methane and other greenhouse gasses in the atmosphere.

Japan sees a stable, commercially competitive space transport capability as key to its space program and national security, and has been developing two new flagship rockets as successors of the H-2A series — the larger H3 with Mitsubishi, and a much smaller Epsilon system with the aerospace unit of the heavy machinery maker IHI. It hopes to cater to diverse customer needs and improve its position in the growing satellite launch market.