In his calls for Muslims to reclaim their religion from extremists, King Abdullah II of the Hashemite Kingdom of Jordan has become a champion of moderate Islam, and yet his country is surrounded by sectarian strife. In Amman's Basman Palace, the father of four talked with Condé Nast Traveler's Susan Hack about what Middle East leaders must do to combat extremism, the perils of American isolationism, the power of travel in promoting understanding—and the magic of a desert night.

CNT: Despite all the conflict in the Middle East, it is the world's fastest-growing region for tourism and hotel investment. Can you explain Jordan's attraction?

The King: The peace treaty [between Jordan and Israel] in 1994 opened a large door for tourism, but even before that we always had a lot of European and American visitors. Where I think the visitor numbers and investment have increased is in post-9/11 Arab tourism, with Arabs who are feeling concerned about travel to Europe and the States starting to look to Jordan. The people of this area know how safe and stable Jordan is. In the south, especially, we have mega projects and hotels going up; Aqaba will triple its capacity in the next few years. That's due to Arab investors who know they have a jewel in their own neighborhood.

CNT: What makes Jordan a unique destination?

The King: Several things. Our famous antiquities sites, such as Petra and Jerash, but also sites holy to people of Christian, Muslim, and Jewish faiths on our side of the Jordan River that are a beacon to a lot of religious tourists from all over the world. There are desert castles and the routes of Lawrence of Arabia and the Crusaders. We even have medical tourism, with Europeans coming to our facilities for treatment and then going on holiday for less money than they would pay just for their doctor at home. There are amazing places to see here with a backpack or on a motorcycle, and we are reaching out to adventure tourists who want to travel beyond Aqaba, the Dead Sea, and Petra to places like Wadi Rum and the Dana Nature Reserve. Most of all, Jordan is a peaceful country known throughout the Middle East for being hospitable. We have a history as a tolerant society, and our Muslim and Christian communities have coexisted for centuries.

CNT: Back in 2000, you hosted the first Peace Through Tourism summit. Does that seem naive now? How can tourism resolve Middle East conflicts?

The King: The 2000 conference was a good launching point. Today, extremist ideologies have sprung up on all sides, with elements that want desperately to pit us all against one another. Keeping people traveling, breaking boundaries and going beyond stereotypes, is vital. When we close ourselves off from one another is when the world gets into trouble. The more we travel, the better the world is. Understanding other cultures…well, that can only be good for all of us.

CNT: You've called upon moderate Muslims to take back their religion from violence and extremism. Is it happening?

The King: It is, but it's not something that can happen overnight. We have to develop tactics to combat violence, but the long-term issue is education—teaching the silent majority about their rights and what true Islam is, and reaching out to other religions and cultures to teach people what Islam is all about. We also need to remind people that the three monotheistic religions—Judaism, Christianity, and Islam—have a commonality of values.