A sharp decline in tourism in Petra… Al-Buraizat: Hotels closed and hundreds of employees laid off from tourism facilities.
Furthermore, Al-Braizat indicated that the conflict in Gaza has significantly impacted incoming tourism, noting that 87% of Petra's visitors in 2023 were foreigners.
He warned that marketing efforts in Europe and other regions would be ineffective amid regional tensions. Regarding nationalities that visit most, he clarified that Russians rank second after Americans in visiting Petra this year, followed by the French, then Italians, British, and Spaniards, stressing the importance of diversifying targeted global tourism markets to compensate for the current downturn.
Hotel occupancy rates are only at 5%. For his part, the Vice President of the Jordanian Hotels Association, Hussein Hilalat, mentioned that the Ministry of Tourism's claims of growth in the sector 'have not manifested at all in reality,' asserting that Madaba, Petra, and Wadi Rum are the most affected areas by the decline in tourism activity. He noted that the Ministry of Tourism had promised the return of low-cost flights in October, but low bookings might prevent this from happening.
He pointed out that there are countries suffering from regional repercussions, like Egypt, but they still receive tourists, indicating that an alternative plan is needed to rescue the tourism sector.
Hilalat confirmed that hotel prices in Petra are very low, but demand is almost nonexistent, mentioning that the hotel occupancy rate does not exceed 5% in the first half of the current year, a figure which he described as alarming.
The situation in Petra is 'very poor.' In turn, the President of the Petra Hotels Association, Abdullah Al-Hasanat, described the situation in Petra as 'very poor,' explaining that communication with the Ministry of Tourism has reached a 'dead end,' despite the worsening crisis. He criticized the 'Jordan Our Paradise' program, arguing that allocating 20,000 visitors to Petra over just five days is not a sustainable solution for operating hotel establishments. He noted that more than 700 employees were recently laid off from Petra hotels, indicating that the conditions for hotels are 'very difficult,' and that 91 hotels in the city are mostly owned by local residents, which increases the local harm.
Tourism is a victim of regional tensions. The Chairman of the Economic and Investment Committee in Parliament, Khaled Abu Hassan, confirmed that Petra is the primary tourist destination in Jordan, but today it is among the most affected areas by the repercussions of regional conditions. He pointed out that the Ministry of Tourism acknowledges the existence of a 'real problem' in the city, emphasizing that the cessation of low-cost flights due to regional tensions has played a key role in diminishing tourism movement. He indicated that the Israeli-Iranian conflict, which coincided with the start of the tourist season, has significantly affected the tourism sector this year.
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