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Jordan Times
an hour ago
- Jordan Times
Jordan records $4.4B in tourism revenue, attracts 4m tourists in first 7 months of 2025
AMMAN — Jordan's tourism sector generated $4.4 billion in revenue during the first seven months of 2025, marking an 8.6 per cent increase compared with the same period in 2024, according to preliminary figures from the Central Bank of Jordan (CBJ). The growth came despite a 5.6 per cent decline in July's income, which stood at $721.4 million, according to a CBJ statement. Revenues from Asian markets recorded the highest growth at 41.1 per cent, followed by European visitors at 33.8 per cent, Americans at 21.7 per cent, and Arab tourists at 7.3 per cent. Earnings from other nationalities increased by 38 per cent, while returns from Jordanian expatriates fell by 2.5 per cent. Outbound tourism spending also rose, with Jordanians spending $1.25 billion on travel abroad between January and July, up 4 per cent from last year. Spending in July alone increased by 7 per cent to $247.4 million. The number of tourists visiting Jordan in the first seven months of 2025 surged by 15.6 per cent compared with the same period last year, according to data from the Ministry of Tourism and Antiquities. The figures, cited by Al Mamlaka TV, said that nearly 4 million visitors arrived in Jordan during this period, up from 3.4 million in the first seven months of 2024. Arab nationals accounted for the largest share, with close to 2 million visitors, followed by Europeans at 500,000 and Asian tourists at 150,000. Industry stakeholders said the results highlight both the sector's resilience and its challenges. 'We are seeing a notable increase in visitors from Asia and Europe, drawn to destinations like Petra and Wadi Rum,' said Hani Kareem, an employee at an Amman-based tourism agency. 'Improved flight connectivity and targeted marketing have helped, but the July dip is a reminder of tourism's seasonal fluctuations.' In the hospitality sector, the gains have led to higher occupancy rates but also operational pressures. 'This summer has been relatively strong, particularly in Aqaba and the Dead Sea,' said Rabei Bashar, operations manager at a luxury hotel and resort. 'However, with more Jordanians travelling abroad, we need to step up efforts to make domestic tourism appealing.' Economists note that while increased inbound tourism supports foreign currency reserves and job creation, the parallel growth in outbound spending reduces the net economic impact. Despite the mixed indicators, sector representatives said the performance so far in 2025 reflects Jordan's ability to remain competitive and adapt to changing market trends.
Jordan Times
2 hours ago
- Jordan Times
Electronic wallet transfers in Jordan reach JD3.56b in seven months — JoPACC
AMMAN () — The total value of money transfers made through electronic wallets in Jordan reached around JD3.56 billion since the beginning of this year through the end of July, according to the Jordanian Payment and Clearing Systems Company (JoPACC). These transfers were carried out over 51.94 million transactions, according to a statement by JoPACC on Wednesday. In July alone, electronic wallet transfers amounted to around JD588 million, marking a 12.1 per cent increase compared to June's JD525 million. The number of transactions also rose significantly, reaching 9.15 million in July, a 14.6 per cent increase from June's JD7.99 million, JoPACC said. The JoPACC's latest monthly report revealed that the number of electronic wallet users in Jordan stood at 2.63 million by the end of July, representing a "slight" decline of 1.5 per cent from June. Jordanians constitute 87.8 per cent of users, numbering about 2.31 million, while non-Jordanians make up 12.2 per cent, or roughly 320,000 users, it said. The company saidthat that money transfers dominate electronic wallet activity, accounting for 88.8 per cent of all transactions. Purchases represent 7.8 per cent, cash withdrawals 2 per cent, and deposits 1.4 per cent.
Jordan Times
2 hours ago
- Jordan Times
Aqaba future projects to enhance quality of public transport, keep pace with tourism development
AMMAN — Commissioner of economic and Investment Affairs at the Aqaba Special Economic Zone Authority (ASEZA) Muhammad Abdul-Wadud and a delegate visited on Wednesday Aqaba Company for Transport and Logistics services. During the visit, Abdul-Wadud discussed the company's future projects in adding a value to enhance the "attractiveness" of Aqaba and contributes to achieving the vision of the Special Zone towards a "sustainable" smart city that combines modern infrastructure and quality services. Chief Executive Officer of Aqaba Transport and Logistics Services Company, Khaled Abu Abdullah, said "the company manages a fleet of 51 buses, covering 86 per cent of the internal transport lines in Aqaba, which makes it the largest operator of public transport services in the city." Abu Abdallah said "the company has achieved a remarkable growth in the number of passengers, reaching one million and 400 thousand passengers during the past year, with expectations that this number will increase during the current year, as a result of organising and updating the operational plan for public transport in Aqaba." At the same time, he noted that this plan came as a result of cooperation between the ASEZA and the company, with the participation of the neighborhood committees in the city, which contributed to improving the "efficiency" of operation and expanding the scope of service to meet the needs of various segments of societies, according to ASEZA statement. He indicated that the company is implementing a "comprehensive" future plan to develop transportation services in Aqaba, which includes switching to smarter operating and management systems through the launch of a smart passenger transport system, in addition to restructuring internal transport lines to expand coverage and modernise the current fleet of buses to raise the level of service provided to passengers. Abu Abdullah revealed three qualitative projects within the future plan that will constitute a major leap in the transportation experience in Aqaba; having a new tourist "open-top buses" that allow visitors to enjoy open tours of the city's beaches and distinctive landmarks, and the launch of the "amphibious bus" that combines land and sea transport in a unique tourist experience that is the first of its kind in the Kingdom, in addition to the operation of environmentally-friendly "electric buses" that contribute to reducing carbon emissions and promoting the trends of the green economy, stressing that these projects represent tourism products Integrated makes mobility a part of Part of the fun of visiting Aqaba The visit concluded with a tour of the company's monitoring and control room, where the delegate was briefed on the systems of tracking and monitoring bus routes with cameras to ensure the safety of passengers and punctuality, praising the level of technology used and its role in raising the efficiency of operation.
