Five million tourists visited Jordan in 2022, says Tourism Minister

Economy

Published: 2023-01-16 17:05

Last Updated: 2024-03-28 09:32


Five million tourists visited Jordan in 2022, says Tourism Minister
Five million tourists visited Jordan in 2022, says Tourism Minister

Around five million tourists visited Jordan in 2022, said Minister of Tourism Makram Qaisi, who hailed the continued gains of the tourism sector at a ministry meeting.

Jordan Tourism Board director-general Abdul Razzaq Arabiyat said that tourism income reached JD 4.123 billion last year, even greater than the pre-pandemic level in 2019.

He noted that JD 71 million has been allocated to tourism promotion in the 2023 budget, in addition to the supplementary JD 50 million that came as part of the Economic Modernization Vision.

The board aims to make tourism more steady across different seasons and diversify the type of tourists who choose to visit, Arabiyat said, and will continue implementing its partnerships with major low-cost and normal airlines, including charter flights to Amman and Aqaba.

In the 2023 budget, JD 20.2 million has been allocated to marketing activities, JD 31.1 million to aviation, JD 4.7 million to support charter flights, JD 5.375 million for developing tourism services, and JD 4.6 million for restoration and development of touristic sites.

The Department of Antiquities’ most important activities have been the nomination of Umm al-Jimal to the UNESCO World Heritage List, the completion of a tourist trail from the Citadel to the Roman amphitheater of Amman, the creation of a Christian pilgrimage trail, and the restoration of Shobak Castle, said director-general Fadi Balawi.