Petra: The number of foreign visitors to the archaeological city of Petra witnessed a sharp decline last month, with only 16,207 tourists compared to 68,349 in the same month of 2023 and 53,888 in June 2019, according to official data from the Petra Development and Tourism Region Authority.
According to Jordan News Agency, statistics reveal that Petra welcomed a total of 259,798 visitors of various nationalities in the first half of 2025, including 175,510 foreign tourists. This marks a significant drop from the same period in 2023, which saw around 692,595 visitors, including 606,000 foreigners. Comparatively, the first half of 2019 recorded about 538,187 visitors, with 474,139 being foreign tourists.
Fares Braizat, Chairperson of the Board of Commissioners of the Petra Development and Tourism Region Authority, attributed the decline in foreign tourist arrivals to exceptional circumstances affecting the region. These include Israeli actions in the Gaza Strip since October 2023 and broader regional tensions such as the recent Iran-Israel crisis. He noted that these developments have directly impacted tourism and commercial activities across the region.
Speaking to the Jordan News Agency, Braizat emphasized that approximately 85 percent of the local population depends either directly or indirectly on the tourism sector. Revenues from archaeological site entry tickets serve as the authority's primary income source.
He highlighted that reduced domestic and Arab visitor numbers have compounded challenges for tourism facilities, service providers, and commercial enterprises in Petra, leading to operational difficulties and revenue shortfalls.
Braizat added that the authority has engaged with relevant entities to implement measures aimed at supporting the sector, including reactivating the "Sustainability 1" program, introducing suitable exemptions, and encouraging government ministries and institutions to direct their activities towards Petra to bolster the local economy.
Meanwhile, Hussein Hilalat, Vice President of the Jordan Hotel Association, reported that hotel booking cancellations in Petra have reached rates of 95 to 100 percent. This has forced numerous establishments to shut down and lay off employees, as tourism in the city heavily relies on European and other foreign markets.
Abdullah Hasanat, President of the Petra Hotel Cooperative Association, stated that the number of classified hotels forced to close has reached 28, encompassing 1,975 hotel rooms, which represents 56 percent of all classified hotel rooms in the Petra region. Overall, the percentage of closed hotel rooms now stands at 59 percent of total capacity.