The view of the dead sea from above
On the
fourth day of our visit in Jordan, we got the chance to visit the Dead Sea. The
Dead Sea is considered as the lowest area on earth, with the height of around
400 meters below the sea level. However, it is not the position that makes the
Dead Sea very famous; it is the experience of swimming in the sea without being
able to drawn into the water. Combined with the service of 5-stars hotel, this
location serves as a place for those who seek for a new experience but also for tranquility. I found this experience very interesting because not only that I
was aware that I stayed in a country that has more chance of danger in terms of
its geographical location, but also I internalized the fact that I went there solely
for relaxation. As peculiar as it may sounds, I was trying to find wellness in
the midst of the “danger” zone.
In tourism study, wellness was defined as a way
of life which focuses on optimal health and well-being, integrating the
functions of body, mind and spirit (Myers et al., 2005). It means that the
people who travel to find wellness,
try to incorporate the physical, spiritual, psychological dimensions of the
experiences. In the Middle East, Jordan, specifically the Dead Sea has been a
major destination for Arab tourists to spend their weekends. In my opinion,
these people go there in order to escape the ‘reality’ in their home country. For
instance when I talked to one of the visitors in the Dead Sea, he said that he
came from Saudi Arabia because he thinks Jordan has a ‘more relaxed and less-strict
culture’. Nevertheless, these types of tourists, as explained by Smith and Kelly (2006), are
actively seeking for an enhanced well-being, in places that they think will
provide contentment for them. I found out that, despite the intensified political condition in its surroundings, Jordan can still maintain its position as a major destination for wellness tourism in the Middle East.
Another view of the dead sea
The view of the resort which offers access to the dead sea
References:
Myers, J. E., Sweeney, T.
J., & Witmer, M. (2005). A holistic model of wellness. Retrieved
September, 8, 2015.
Smith, M., & Kelly, C.
(2006). Wellness tourism. Tourism Recreation Research,31(1), 1-4.
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