RIYADH: Jordan’s tourism sector has registered a 50 percent increase in tourist inflows to 3 million people between January and July compared to the same period last year, according to recent government data.
“The Kingdom welcomed more than 3 million tourists in the first seven months of 2023, showing an increase of more than 50 percent, while tourism revenues increased by nearly 60 percent compared with the same period last year,” said Jordanian Minister of Government Communications Faisal Shboul.
Shboul, who is also the government’s official spokesperson, revealed these numbers during the second annual conference titled “The Role of the Media in Achieving Sustainable Development in the Tourism Sector.”
Tourism contributes 14.6 percent to Jordan’s gross domestic product and directly employs approximately 57,000 people, the minister explained.
The two-day event, organized by the Redan Association in collaboration with Petra Development, Tourism Regional Authority, and the Toronto Academy, aimed to address sustainable development challenges and their connection to the tourism sector, while also highlighting the crucial role of the media in this dynamic field.
In July, the country recorded $3.45 billion in revenues in the first half of 2023, marking a 59.4 percent growth over the same period last year, indicating that tourism has continued to be an integral part of Jordan’s economy, according to the Jordan News Agency.
Data released at the time indicated that tourism revenue for June alone reached $630 million, reflecting a notable 28.8 percent increase compared to the same month in the previous year.
Moreover, Jordanian citizens’ spending on travel and tourism activities outside the country rose by 46.6 percent, reaching $905.5 million during the first half of the year, compared to the corresponding period in the previous year.
June witnessed a peak expenditure of $209.2 million, reflecting a 41 percent growth compared to the same period last year.
In the first quarter of 2023, Jordan’s tourism income saw a surge of 88.4 percent compared to the same period in the prior year, reaching $1.671 billion, propelled by a substantial increase in tourism arrivals.
This period witnessed a significant surge with over 1.47 million visitors exploring the country, marking a 90.7 percent increase compared to the 774,111 tourists during the same period in the previous year.
