Tourism drops in Jordan due to regional instability

AMMAN — The number of tourists coming to the Kingdom has dropped by 7.2 per cent during the first seven months of 2024, according to the Ministry of Tourism and Antiquities.

The ministry stated that the number of overnight tourists has declined by over 4.5 per cent during the same period.

The decrease in the number of tourists visiting the Kingdom has been attributed to a number of factors, according to stakeholders who said that the regional instability amid the ongoing war in Gaza and the constant flight cancellations are among the top reasons.

Speaking with The Jordan Times, Muneer Tahseen, an employee at a travel and tourism office, he said that “amid current flight disruptions and cancellations, it is normal to have frustrated travellers who will avoid travelling this summer whether to Jordan or other countries in the region” .

In addition to the factors mentioned, Tahseen said that this year’s hesitant travellers are choosing destinations that are perceived to be safer, despite Jordan’s safety and stability.

In this regard, Mohannad Assaf, a director at a travel agency based in Amman, said that “there is an apparent decrease in the overall number of tourists this summer; however visitors coming from the Gulf countries have substantially increased.” 

Gulf tourists have opted to travel to Jordan as an alternative destination other than Turkey which is facing inflation and currency fluctuations.

Moreover, he noted that “the world is facing a decline in tourism travel in 2024. This is not only happening in Jordan,” pointing that the economic concerns, geopolitical instability and the constantly changing travel patterns and preferences are driving this noticeable decline.