Petra sees more visitors in November as hotels cite 70% rise in occupancy rates

AMMAN — This year saw the "best" November in the history of Petra in terms of number of visitors, according to officials.

The total number of Petra visitors increased by 49 per cent in November, compared to the same duration last year, acting chief commissioner of the Petra Development and Tourism Regional Authority (PDTRA) Suleiman Farajat said on Sunday.

The commissioner attributed the rise in numbers to the collective efforts of stakeholders and the new low-cost flights to Kingdom.

In total, the ancient city received 100,210 visitors in November, compared with 75,383 during the same month last year, according to PDTRA figures sent to The Jordan Times.

The number included 94,762 foreign tourists and 5,448 Jordanian and Arab visitors.

Since the beginning of the year, Petra has received 757,038 vistors, in the first 11 months of 2018.

Farajat added that 2019 would be an “excellent” year for tourism. “However, it would require intensified efforts to promote tourism in Petra, increase hotel rooms and work to raise the level of services provided to tourists and the community alike.”

Petra Hotel Association President Khaled Nawafleh added that hotel occupancy rates rose by around 70 per cent during November, compared with same month of 2017.

Nawafleh added that Petra's 40 hotels were expecting high occupancy rates for Christmas and New Year’s.