Jordan expects tourist numbers to remain flat this year as the escalating war between Israel and the Gaza Strip drives away holidaymakers, wiping out the country’s main source of jobs and foreign currency.
Abdelrazak Arabiyat, executive director of the Jordan Tourism Authority, told The National that the country is welcoming more than five million tourists in 2023 and aims to maintain similar figures this year by diversifying its source markets with promotional campaigns in African, Asian and Latin American countries.
“Last year the number of visitors was 5.4 million and we need to maintain at least that number this year and hopefully it will not decrease,” Arabiyat said.
“I’m always optimistic. After all, people have short memories and I think we will see an increase in numbers in the second half of the year, especially with the winter season seeing the return of budget airlines and the resumption of charter flights to Jordan.”
Tourism in Jordan – in pictures
Passengers board a Ryanair flight from Amman to Treviso, Italy, last month. Photo: Khaled Yacoub Owais/The National
In a March report, S&P Global Ratings said rising tensions in the Middle East due to the war between Israel and Gaza were weighing on Jordan’s tourism industry and curbing trade.
Tourism is the country’s main export and a significant source of private sector jobs, accounting for about 15 percent of gross domestic product by 2023, the report said.
Jordan’s economic growth is expected to slow to 2.1 percent this year from 2.6 percent in 2023 as tourist arrivals are likely to fall below last year’s record levels, according to S&P Global Ratings.
The ratings agency said tourist numbers from the United States and Europe, which account for 17 percent of Jordan’s tourism receipts, are expected to fall the most.
The report said Arab tourists, including Jordanians living abroad, should “remain resilient” to tensions in the region.
“The events in the region have affected the tourism industry, especially as it is volatile and sensitive to the situation, so people will undoubtedly change their plans, postpone or cancel trips or change to alternative destinations,” Arabiyat said.
“People don’t know that Jordan is a quiet home among noisy neighbors. As always, Jordan is an oasis of peace and has always been resilient and has a high-security environment.”
People don’t know that Jordan is a quiet house among noisy neighbors.
Abdelrazak Arabiyat, Managing Director of the Jordan Tourism Authority
Jordan is seeking to change misconceptions about safety and security through “user-generated” marketing content from travel influencers and testimonials from international tourists.
The aim is to “send the message that everything is fine in Jordan, that the border with the Gaza Strip does not exist and what is happening there, and that Jordan still receives tourists from different countries of the world,” Arabiyat said.
Jordan had expected a 50 percent drop in international tourism in the first quarter of 2024 due to the war but managed to limit the decline to 6 percent, performing better than expected, he said.
He said a 26 percent increase in visitors from GCC and Arab countries helped make up for a 40 percent decline in other markets such as the United States and Europe.
New supply market
Jordan currently attracts tourists from Latin American and African countries, including Kenya, Rwanda, Ethiopia and South Africa.
Asian countries such as China, South Korea, Malaysia and Indonesia are also attracting attention.
The campaign highlights medical tourism and visits to Jordan’s historical Christian sites and churches.
He said the Jordan Tourism Board was in talks with foreign airlines such as Emirates and Qatar Airways about supporting the scheme, as the country does not have direct flights to many of these markets.
The company is also working with national carrier Royal Jordanian to attract more tourists to the country through joint marketing efforts.
Arabiyat said the decline in tourist numbers is expected to continue in the second quarter of 2024, especially from the United States and Europe.
However, efforts are being made to attract more tourists from Gulf countries such as Kuwait and Saudi Arabia by organizing various entertainment events and activities during the summer holidays, he said.
“We are hopeful that the second half of the year will be better” as more European tourists holiday in warmer countries during the winter, he said.
The tourism board has signed a deal with an airline to charter flights from Eastern Europe to Jordan later this year.
Arabiyat also said he expected low-cost airlines, led by Ryanair and Wizz Air, to see increased traffic and that low-cost capacity to Jordan would return to full capacity in the winter after some airlines reduced or suspended services.
Wizz Air and Ryanair did not respond to The National’s requests for comment on their plans.
As for attracting foreign direct investment to Jordan’s tourism sector, Arabiyat said feasibility studies were underway for the construction of hotels and exhibition centers.
Jordan’s Aqaba Special Economic Zone offers many “opportunities” for tourism investment, including a port, airport, cruise terminal and logistics city.
Arabiyat added that the opening of Aqaba’s exhibition center in June hopes to attract lucrative corporate trips and business events featuring high-spending executives.
Updated: June 2, 2024, 4:00 AM
