A tourist, her face covered with mineral-rich mud, floats in a Dead Sea resort. (AFP)

Spa therapy on the banks of the Dead Sea, bath in hot freshwater springs, night tour of the ancient city of Petra — Jordan with its myriad attractions beckons Calcuttans.

The Jordan Tourism Board for the first time has held a roadshow in the city and organised interactions between tour operators of Calcutta and Jordan. “Earlier, our focus was mainly on Europe and the US. But now we are exploring markets like India,” said Nayef Al-Fayez, the managing director of the Jordan Tourism Board.

“Jordan is a niche destination. We are promoting pilgrimage and wellness tourism,” said Al-Fayez. “Jordan had lacked infrastructure for tourism, but now many new hotels are coming up to accommodate tourists.”

Last year, around 30,000 tourists from India had visited Jordan. Al-Fayez hopes this year the figure will be much more.

The Dead Sea, with five hotels on its banks offering spa and other fitness services, forms the crux of wellness tourism.

Thanks to the high barometric pressure, the air around the Dead Sea is eight per cent richer in oxygen than at the sea level. Also, the mud and water of the Dead Sea contain a combination of chloride salts, sulphur, sodium, potassium, iodine, magnesium, calcium and bromine.

“A large number of people visit the Dead Sea for natural treatment of diseases such as psoriasis, arthritis and asthma,” said an official of the Jordan Tourism Board.

Adventure sports in the deserts, cliffs of Wadi Rum and the ancient city of Petra are among other tourist draw. “Jordan had never been sold as a tourist destination for Calcuttans. But the scene is changing with people looking for newer destinations,” said Anil Punjabi, the chairman of the Travel Agents Federation of India.

Tour operators in the city rued the absence of direct flights between Calcutta and Amman.