AMMAN — Two Jordanian companies have joined forces with the Jordanian Tourism Board to highlight Jordan as a “perfect destination” for film enthusiasts, “Star Wars” fans and lovers of travel, in honour of Star Wars Day, which falls on May 4.

 

In a joint statement shared with The Jordan Times on Sunday, the companies — Destination Jordan and Jobedu — highlighted the recent visit of a number of artists and designers who worked on various Lucasfilm movies and Disney films, who were invited to Jordan to experience the country, known for its world-class scenery, on a tour titled “Taking Jordan by Storm II”.

 

Arriving from the US were four artists and designers from movies spanning a 40-year period, starting in 1980 with “The Empire Strikes Back” to the latest “Rise of Skywalker” and “The Mandalorian”.

 

The travellers included concept designer for Lucasfilm Christian Alzmann, who was one of the designers of “Star Wars: The Force Awakens”, among other films; Jean Bolte, the texture supervisor credited for four of the Star Wars Episodes and other Hollywood Blockbuster films; George Powell, contributing artist for the Disney film “Finest Hours”; and artist and musician Sandy Dhuyvetter, who is famous for her role in painting costumes for the Star Wars films.

 

After arriving from the US in December 2019, the travellers and the Taking Jordan by Storm II team met at the Dead Sea, the lowest spot on earth.

 

After a day of rest, and a short stop to the Baptismal site of Jesus and Mt Nebo, the visitors visited some of the most acclaimed film sites within the country, starting with the ancient southern city of Petra.

 

Jean Bolte, first-time visitor to Jordan, remarked: “The dramatic moment when one emerges from the walk through Petra's curved rock canyon to face the Al Kazneh [‘The Treasury’] is heart-stopping. No photos do justice to the feeling of emerging into that open space.” 

 

Shortly after touring Petra, the group visited Aqaba, where they took the sailing ketch featured in the 2019 Disney film “Aladdin” to Berenice Beach on the Red Sea.

 

The modern accommodations and means of transportation made it clear to all that Jordan was easy and comfortable to visit. The exquisite food of Jordan was a talking point at the table and en-route to every destination, read the statement.

 

Sandy Dhuyvetter, a return visitor to Jordan, was quick to comment that “life in Aqaba is the way life should be, with the easy access to a wonderful lifestyle that includes water and outdoor adventures”.

 

Wadi Rum, known as the Valley of the Moon, is where the team slept in Geodesic domes. There, they combed the film locations for clues of the over 60 films produced in Jordan.

 

George Powell shared his thoughts about Wadi Rum when he stated: “I could easily spend a month here exploring the incredible valleys and film locations. Jordan has far exceeded all my expectations”.

 

“The Martian” (2015), “Rogue One: A Star Wars Story” (2016), “The Last Days on Mars” (2013), “Theeb” (2014), “Transformers: Revenge of the Fallen” (2009), “May in the Summer” (2014), “Prometheus” (2012), and “All of the Money in the World” (2017), originating in Hollywood, Bollywood and other regions, all made their way to Jordan for filming, the statement said. 

 

“There is a magical reason why Hollywood chooses Jordan to shoot their blockbuster films... it is the organic beauty and the Jordanians behind the scenes that makes the Kingdom so special,” Destination Jordan’s co-founder, Mona Naffa Nazzal said in the statement.

 

Near the end of the trip, the entourage spent a few days in the capital Amman, visiting the Citadel, the Roman Theatre, and the Royal Auto Museum and taking in the local street scene. One morning was spent visiting Jerash, “a must-stop” for those who love Roman and Greek architecture.

 

The final evening, the group attended the latest Star Wars movie premiere, “The Rise of Skywalker”, where the visiting artists autographed photos and shirts. 

 

Alzmann expressed the sentiments of the group: “Jordan is simply a treasure. We walked through history, met kind and welcoming new friends, ate delicious food and were charmed by this beautiful country.”

 

The Taking Jordan by Storm I tour to the Kingdom took place in 2016, the statement said.