Tourism ministry reports significant drop of visitors at Baptism Site

AMMAN — The Baptism Site of Jesus Christ welcomed a total of 20,060 visitors during the first quarter of 2024, showing a drop of 65.5 per cent compared with the same period last year.

In the January-March period, the Baptism Site, also known as Al Maghtas, received 16,064 non-Arab visitors, 2,306 Jordanians, and 1,690 Arabs, according to data from the Ministry of Tourism, as reported by Al Mamlakah TV.

The figures from the previous year’s first quarter showed a total of 58,233 visitors to the site, including 52,530 foreigners, 4,371 Jordanians, and 1,332 Arabs.

Located approximately 9 kilometres north of the Dead Sea, the Baptism Site holds profound significance for all Christian denominations. The preservation and protection efforts for this site are part of a historical responsibility towards the sacred locations east of the Jordan River.