Domestic tourism gains momentum along rise in number of inbound visitors

AMMAN — Along with the noteworthy booming number of tourists to the Kingdom came a significant surge in domestic tourism, according to a stakeholder. 

“The figures, so far, look promising and the ministry’s Urdun Jannah programme has succeeded in increasing the numbers of domestic tourists,” said Hisham Shakhatreh, secretary general at the Ministry of Tourism.

The programme has attracted over 35,000 tourists since the beginning of 2023, Shakhatreh told The Jordan Times.

The growth is underpinned by the various trip programmes offered to local residents with new routes to be added soon, he said.

According to the Urdun Jannah website, the trip programmes for 2023 include Amman, the Golden Triangle ­(Aqaba, Wadi Rum and Petra), Ajloun, Irbid, the Dead Sea, Zarqa, Mafraq, Jerash, Balqa, Madaba, Karak, Tafileh and Maan.

The Urdun Jannah programme was launched in 2019 by the Ministry of Tourism, in cooperation with the Jordan Tourism Board, with the aim of encouraging and promoting domestic tourism and local experiences, with the ministry covering 50 per cent of trips’ costs, in addition to providing free transportation.

“Major tourist locations and sites are bustling with visitors from Jordan and abroad,” Vice Chairman of the Jordan Inbound Tour Operators Association Awni Kawar, told The Jordan Times,  noting that such growth would create “incremental demand” for all services related to tourism and hospitality.

“Inbound tourism has increased by at least 30 per cent when compared with the same period of 2022,” he added.