Tourist spending in Kingdom drops by 5% in H1 2024

AMMAN — The Ministry of Tourism and Antiquities revealed that the total gross spending of tourists who visited the Kingdom during the first half of 2024, decreased by five per cent when compared with the same period last year. 

According to the ministry, the number of tourism activities by location in 2024, is 3,242 activities in 18 different locations. While the number of employees who are operating in different touristic activities this year reached 54,004 of which 44,141 are Jordanians. 

Further, according to recent ministerial figures, the gross expenditure of foreign visitors amounted to JD2.329 billion during the first six months of 2024, compared with JD2.449 billion during the same period last year, adding that 53 per cent of the Kingdom’s visitors were Arabs. 

Speaking with The Jordan Times, Omar Osama, an employee at a tourism agency, he said that “one reason for the lower spending is the fact that the numbers of international tourists have declined, due to the ongoing situation in the region”.

He added that international visitors incur higher travel costs, spending on hotel accommodation, food and other touristic activities, while local tourists visit various destinations for shorter periods.

As for Abdul Rahman Tawfiq, an employee at a souvenir shop in downtown Amman, he told The Jordan Times over the phone that “there is an apparent shift towards budget travel…and this encourages travellers to spend less and to follow budget-conscious choices”.