The ruins of Petra are world-famous for their beauty and historical heritage. They were used, you might remember, in the third Indiana Jones film. Jordan has gotten a bad rap because of the war on terror and because when people think of the middle east they get all weirded out, as if there are suicide bombers around every corner. Not true. They are around every other corner. Just kidding.
Anyway, I just read this piece on CNN.com about the rise of Jordan as a tourist and business destination. The Kempinski Hotel in Amman gets high marks as a (somewhat expensive) place to stay. The country is benefiting from the influx of wealthy Iraqis as well as U.S. servicemen on their way to Iraq, but also from an increased interest from Western travelers. If you want to see the Middle East, this could be a good place to go.