Figures released at the end of December 2006 by the Jordanian Ministry of Tourism for the first nine months of 2006 showed a 7.4% rise in the total number of tourist arrivals, with 4.9 million visitors entering the country. The vast majority of these were from Arab states, with Jordan’s near neighbors contributing 3.75 million tourists to the overall arrivals, with just under 1 million coming from Saudi Arabia.
However, while there was also an increase in the number of Europeans and Americans visiting the kingdom, up by 7.9% and 30.8% respectively, the ministry figures showed a far greater fall off in the amount of time these tourists stayed in Jordan. The amount of time spent by European tourists fell by 26.8% compared to the January to September period in 2005, while there was a similar drop among US visitors. There was also a marked decline in the number of package tours from both Europe and the US, down by 25.8% and 74%.
Another interesting statistic was that were far fewer visitors to Jordan’s recognized tourist sites—the ancient ruins and museums for which the country is famed—with numbers down by more than 20%.
Petra sees fall off in visitors
This was borne out by news that Jordan’s best-known tourism attraction had seen a dramatic fall off in visitor numbers. The ancient city of Petra, a marvel hewn out of living rose red rock dating back thousands of years that serves as one of the symbols of Jordan, drew just over 359,000 foreign visitors last year, 12.7% down on 2005.
Officials blamed the decline on political tensions in the region, particularly Israel’s military strike against Lebanon, launched in July. That month, Petra saw a 30% fall in tourist numbers, followed by a 52% drop in August compared to the same months in 2005, according to figures released on January 12.
Ironically, news of Petra’s waning popularity came only days before the announcement that the city had been short-listed in an international competition to name the “New Seven Wonders of the World.”
However, the drop in numbers of package tour visitors and those visiting tourist sites does not necessarily mean that Jordan is losing its appeal as a holiday destination. After all, both overall arrivals and revenue from the sector were up last year. What these conflicting figures may represent is a shift in the kingdom’s tourism industry, one towards the higher end of the international market.
Major investments soon to pay off
The past few years have seen major investments in Jordanian tourism, mainly coming from Gulf states. The latest, and indeed Jordan’s largest ever property and tourism development, is a joint project between Saudi construction firm Saudi Oger and Saraya Aqaba for a $995 million complex on the Red Sea near Aqaba. The project, to be built around a man-made lagoon, will feature shopping, dining, entertainment, hotels, freehold accommodation and cultural facilities.
Other major developments, including a number in Amman, have targeted Arab buyers not put off by the large price tags on villas and luxury apartments.
A recent report prepared by the Capital Investments Bank and the Jordan Center for Public Policy Research and Dialogue predicted a continuation of growth for both the Jordanian economy and the country’s tourism sector. The report said that not only would the industry overcome the effects of the war in Lebanon, but also in the longer term tourists from the region may tend towards choosing Amman over Beirut as a holiday destination.
Despite the damage done to both its infrastructure and visitor confidence by the war with Israel, Lebanon still managed to attract higher levels of overseas tourism investments than Jordan in 2006. Syria too has seen a sharp rise in FDI flowing into its tourism industry while Egypt remains the region’s giant in the sector.
