Tourism ministry reports 7% decrease in tourists visiting Kingdom

AMMAN — Recent figures released by the Ministry of Tourism and Antiquities showed a 7 per cent decrease in the number of tourists visiting Jordan during the first eight months of this year compared with the same period last year.

Despite the overall decline, Arab nationalities continue to lead in visitor numbers, with approximately 2.251 million tourists, marking a 5.7 per cent increase from the same period in 2023. 

“Arab visitors made up approximately 53.5 per cent of the total visitors to the Kingdom,” the ministry said.

The ministry also reported that the total number of tourists to the Kingdom in the first eight months of 2024 reached 4.2 million, down from 4.5 million during the same period last year.

Expatriates accounted for around 28.9 per cent of the total visitors, while visitors from European countries decreased by 26.7 per cent, contributing to 10.9 per cent of the total visitors.

Tourists from Asian countries made up around 3 per cent of the total visitors. 

The number of visitors from American countries saw a significant drop of 49.8 per cent, reaching 115,300 visitors, a decline of approximately 114,500 tourists compared with the same period in 2023. 

Visitors from African countries contributed around 0.7 per cent of the total visitors to the Kingdom, the report said

The ministry also noted that the tourism sector generated JD3.5 billion during the aforementioned period.

In response to the declining numbers, stakeholders and business owners in the tourism industry expressed concern over the potential long-term impact on their operations.

Many told The Jordan Times that there is an observable drop in revenue, which negatively affects their businesses and their ability to create more job opportunities.

Hasan Ali, a tour guide, emphasised the need for better international promotional campaigns and diversification of the country’s tourism appeal, especially amid the current regional circumstances. 

Ali noted that the resumption of flights by several low-cost airlines has provided a “much-needed” boost to the local tourism market.

Mohammad T., a tourism business owner, linked the drop in visitor numbers to regional security concerns and called for campaigns to reassure potential visitors that Jordan is a safe and stable destination.