The third quarter report of 2024 in the executive program of the Economic Modernization Vision 2023-2025, within the axis of Jordan as a global destination, addressed the most prominent details of the progress of the tourism sector during the first nine months of the current year.
The report showed that the number of tourists coming to the Kingdom during the first nine months of 2024 amounted to about 4.7 million visitors, while tourism revenues for the same period amounted to about 3.9 million dinars.
The number of workers in the tourism sector during the first nine months of 2024 reached about 56 thousand workers, while the number of arrivals to the Kingdom on board low-cost and regular airlines contracted with it for the same period amounted to about 185 thousand passengers who arrived on board 1263 aircraft, while sales of the unified ticket Jordan Pass amounted to about 84 thousand tickets.
Regarding improving Jordan's connectivity with the targeted countries, the report indicated that an annex to the agreement was signed with Ryanair to resume flights to Amman for the winter season 2024/2025 starting in December 2024 from 6 different destinations, and as for Transavia France flights, the line from Paris to Amman was resumed since the beginning of September 2024. According to the report, a memorandum of understanding (MOU) will soon be signed with Ethiopian Airlines, which operates regular flights from Addis Ababa, Ethiopia, to Amman with 7 weekly flights, so that the MOU includes hosting familiarization trips about Jordan from Ethiopia, Kenya, Rwanda and Brazil, in addition to joint marketing campaigns. Regarding the development of archaeological and tourist sites, the Umm al-Jimal archaeological site, located in Mafraq Governorate, was listed on the UNESCO World Heritage List last July. A comprehensive plan was prepared to manage the site, which works to ensure the permanent protection and preservation of the site, support archaeological research and academic studies, and promote it by adhering to UNESCO standards, complying with legal frameworks, involving stakeholders, and building local capacities, while maintaining the flexibility of the plan to meet future needs. The report showed that the comprehensive strategic plan for the tourism sector for the Petra Development and Tourism Region Authority has been completed, and maintenance and restoration work has been completed on the Dhiban archaeological site and the Makawir archaeological site in Madaba, and maintenance, restoration, and rehabilitation work on the Byzantine Church and the Ayla Islamic site in Aqaba has been completed. The report indicated that an agreement was signed between the Petra Development and Tourism Region Authority and the United States Agency for International Development (USAID) in August 2024, which aims to enhance Petra's position as a sustainable global tourist destination by increasing the site's capacity, improving access and visitor management, and ensuring the preservation of the site's cultural value through the implementation of multiple projects related to infrastructure, tourism, and sustainability over a period of four years.
With regard to developing products and experiences, the report showed that an agreement was signed to develop the Petra at Night program by adding experiences such as sound and light technologies, 3D maps, and holograms, in addition to increasing the number of nights to five days a week in order to improve the visitor experience and increase revenues.
An agreement was also signed between the Petra Development and Tourism Region Authority and an investor to develop the first eco-tourism resort in Petra on an area of 34 dunums. The resort includes 18 eco-chalets, restaurants, fitness and recreation facilities, and outdoor swimming pools, and the approval of 27 tourist paths within the Petra Archaeological Reserve in addition to the main path on the site, and work is underway on interpretive and guiding panels. Regarding the city center paths, the final studies for the tourism development plan in Karak have been completed, and the terms of reference for priority projects have been prepared. Technical offers for the rehabilitation of the Citadel Square are currently being evaluated, and work is underway with the Greater Karak Municipality to implement the Accessibility Project. A memorandum of understanding has also been signed with the Greater Salt Municipality to implement the studies for the rehabilitation of the tourist center in the city of Salt. Various marketing and promotional campaigns have been implemented, including religious, educational, therapeutic, and adventure tourism, in addition to hosting international delegations and developing platforms to promote Jordan in new markets, in addition to supporting the Jordan World Food Festival, which was attended by approximately 65,000 visitors.
