Tourism income witnessed 19% uptick in July – CBJ

AMMAN  — Tourism revenue during July grew by 19.4 per cent compared with the same month of 2022, reaching JD554.5 million, according to preliminary data issued by the Central Bank of Jordan (CBJ). 

During the first seven months of 2023, tourism revenue increased by 50.1 per cent, reaching a value of JD3,0048 million thanks to an increase in the number of tourists, which reached 37,202,000, with a growth rate of 51.3 per cent.

The increase is due to a rise in the number of overnight tourists to 30,851,000 with a growth rate of 47.0 per cent during the same period.  Also, the number of one-day tourists reached 6,351,000, with a growth rate of 76.2 per cent.

As for tourism spending abroad,  tourists’ spending increased by 13.1 per cent during the month of July compared with the same period of 2022, reaching JD171.2 million. 

Tourism spending abroad during the first seven months of 2023 increased by 37.9 per cent, recording a value of JD813.2 million.

Commenting on this increase, economist Wajdi Makhamreh told The Jordan Times that the Jordanian government has adopted programmes to significantly stimulate tourism, in addition to the presence of low-cost carriers flying to the Kingdom, which contributed to the recovery of tourism after the COVID-19 pandemic.

He also highlighted the significance of religious tourism for the Kingdom, as it is home to many important pilgrimage sites, in addition to archaelogical and cultural landmarks.

Economist Hosam Ayesh noted that the CBJ figures reflect a return to pre-pandemic levels of revenue in the tourism sector.

“Tourism activity in Jordan is currently witnessing a great momentum compared with previous years,”  he said.

The sustainability of this performance calls for better promotion and improvement in the quality of tourism services, Ayesh said, calling for more promotional campaigns for cultural festivals, such as the Jerash Festival.