Jordan’s tourism impacted by Gaza war, Petra visitors down by 61 percent: Official

Jordan has seen a decrease in the number of tourists visiting its famed ancient city of Petra and other sites since the Gaza war began in October 2023, according to officials.

Although Jordan does not border the Gaza Strip, it has been among several countries across the region impacted by the war between Israel and the Palestinian militant group Hamas.

Figures released by the Petra Development and Tourism Region Authority and reported Monday by the official Al-Mamlaka TV showed the number of visitors dropped by around 61 percent from 1,174,137 in 2023 to 457,215 last year.

“We feel the repercussions of the aggression on Gaza every day, especially for providers of tourism services,” Abdul Razzaq Arabiyat, the director of the national tourism board, told Al-Mamlaka on Friday.

He said incoming tourism from Europe and North America has hit a record low, dealing a devastating blow to the hotel industry and tour operators around Petra, in Jordan’s south.

According to figures from the Petra tourism authority carried by official media, 32 hotels have had to shut down and nearly 700 people have lost their jobs.

Petra, famous for its stunning temples hewn from rose-pink cliff faces, is a UN World Heritage site.

The Jordanian economy relies on revenues from the kingdom’s tourism sector, which accounts for 14 percent of gross domestic product.