Tourism revenue rises 5.2 per cent during first quarter of 2019

AMMAN — The Kingdom’s tourism revenue climbed 5.2 per cent and reached $1.3 billion during the first quarter of this year, in comparison to the same period of 2018.

The number of foreign tourists arriving in Jordan during the first quarter rose 33.3 per cent, and the number of overnight and group-based tourists increased by 36 per cent and 19.7 per cent respectively, the Jordan News Agency, Petra, reported.

In 2018, tourism revenue surpassed the $5 billion mark, signifying an 8 per cent increase from 2017’s $4.6 billion.

The number of tourist groups was reported to have increased significantly throughout the first 11 months of 2018, with 86,320 tourists visiting the Kingdom in groups, compared with 61,620 tourists during the same period of 2017, which constituted an increase of 40.1 per cent.

Also during the 11 month period in 2018, overnight tourists from European countries represented the highest increase in numbers, with a 51.5 per cent increase, compared with the same period of 2017. Tourists from Asian and Pacific island countries accounted for 24.4 per cent, those from North and South American countries for 22.9 per cent and tourists from African countries accounted for 21.6 per cent.

Unified ticket sales during November of 2018 were valued at JD1,238,995, compared with JD414,805 during the same period of 2017, constituting a 200 per cent increase.

During the first 10 months of 2018, the total number of Jordan Passes sold the reached 90,344 tickets, and amounted to more than JD6 million, Petra reported.

The figure represented a 113 per cent increase in sales over the same period of 2017, which translated into an additional JD3 million in revenue, according to Petra.