AMMAN: Jordan’s Prime Minister Abdullah Ensour has described an Egyptian project on the eastern shore of the Dead Sea as a “qualitative investment”during a meeting with Egyptian businessman Mansour Amer, chairman of the Amer Group, one of the largest tourism corporations in Egypt and the region.

Ensour told Amer that  the Jordanian cabinet approved the $250 million Porto Dead Sea project, which will provide around 3,000 job opportunities.

Jordan’s Petra news agency said the scheme, to be held by the group on the eastern shore of the Dead Sea, will comprise a five-star hotel, villas and apartments, making up more than 3,000 rooms. In addition, the Porto will include a mall, pools, health resort, sports halls and a number of tourism facilities, such as restaurants and cafes.

Ensour stressed the government’s commitment to provide all necessary facilities to render it successful, Petra said.

Amer said the group has weighed up all aspects available in the kingdom to ensure the success of the project, noting that political stability, services and the skilled manpower were among top reasons behind choosing to implement the Porto project in Jordan.

Describing the project as a “real thrust” for the Dead Sea area, similar to the Porto project in Egypt which he labelled as a bustling centre, Amer indicated that the project will be the beginning for more investments by the group in several regions of the kingdom.