The ancient city of Petra is a two-hour drive away from Aqaba, which sits at the northern tip of the Red Sea

A billboard shows a typical holiday dream scene, all azure sea, bright white sands and umbrellas. “The Caribbean? Nope, it’s Ayla,” the tagline chirps. Another two crop up. “Rio de Janeiro? Nope, it’s Ayla. Miami Beach? Nope, it’s Ayla.”

Ayla is a new resort in Jordan, a largely landlocked nation where even the billboards are in a constant battle against preconceptions. Since the Arab Spring in 2011, it has struggled to raise its reputation above those of its war-torn neighbours. Yet on the northern tip of the Red Sea, where Egypt, Israel, Jordan and Saudi Arabia converge, the city of Aqaba could be about to change that. It is a hotbed of regeneration, with cranes, luxury flats and resort hotels all crowding onto the tiny