Ammon News - Exports of the Queen Alia International Airport (QAIA) free zone inched up by 4 percent in the first six months of 2021, reaching JD131 million, compared with JD125 million in the same period of last year.

A statement on Tuesday by the Jordan Free and Development Zones Group (JFDZG) said that the value of exports of all Jordanian free zones in the January-June period of 2021 reached JD1.91 billion, while imports stood at JD953 million.

"JFDZG's investment incentives put forward a starting point for global businesses in industry, trade and services fields, in addition to the flexibility in managing local and global trade affairs, as trade volume of local companies in the first half of this year hit JD2.44 billion," the statement added.

JFDZG chairman Khalaf Hmeisat said that QAIA free zone is one of the region’s latest investment destination, designed in accordance with best global practices to support economy and attract global investments.

Development zones, he noted, became a place of prosperity for local and global companies, with great contribution to the national economy competitiveness, apart from transferring knowledge and skills, as its occupancy rate went up by 30 percent since the royal inauguration two years ago.

"Free zones house various local and foreign companies in different fields, including transformative industries, storing services, in addition to logistic and car trade companies. Private free zones also operate in the industry and information technology sector," he said.

Jordan's strategic geographic location has also played a role in boosting the attractiveness of the Kingdom’s free zones.