Oman – The tourism sector declined in Jordan Sharp And IranEspecially in light of the suspension or postponement of airlines their flights to the countries of the region.
Although Jordan is not a direct party in the Iranian -Israeli conflict, its security and military repercussions quickly reflected on the Kingdom and it is geographically between the two sides of the confrontation, which translated practically to the abolition of many tourists their hotel reservations, in addition to the sharp decline in the number of visitors, and the slowdown in tourism aviation, all indications of the large impact that affected the Jordanian tourism sector, which is one of the most important pillars of the Kingdom.
Dowry
The tourism sector contributes to a large percentage in the GDP of Jordan and provides job opportunities for thousands of citizens in various parts of the Kingdom, but this vital sector faces unprecedented challenges, expressed by the Jordanian Minister of Tourism and Antiquities Lina Annab by saying that “the rates of canceling tourism reservations in Jordan are very large, and ranged between 70% and 100% on the immediate reservations for the current period.”
Annab added that the large amount of cancellation is expected and not surprising by virtue of the lack of clarity in the current situation and the Israeli -Iranian military escalation, noting that the cancellation came on nearby reservations.
Jordan witnessed in the last period growth in the tourism sector, and it became a favorite destination for visitors from around the world, and tourist income increased during the month of April of this year by 34.2% to reach 710.3 million dollars, to record a 15.3% increase during the first third of the current year to reach more than two billion dollars, but this tourist boom quickly suffered a severe setback due to the start of the Israeli war Iranian a week ago.
An extended crisis
For his part, the Vice President of the Jordan Hotels Association, Hussein Hilal, confirmed that the tourism crisis in Jordan started since October 20, 2023, but with the outbreak of the Iran -Israeli war, the reservations were affected quickly and directly.
He said in an interview with Al -Jazeera Net that the Hotels Association had activated an operations room to monitor the numbers of tourists, which was estimated at about 3,500 foreign tourists who were in the Kingdom at the time of escalating tension.
Hilal indicated that the occupancy rates in some tourist hotels, especially in Petra, declined to less than 6%, while they were in Oman About 34% and decreased later, adding that some airlines stopped their flights to Jordan until mid -July, which contributed to the decline in demand for tourism in general.
Hiladalat indicated that the tourism sector recorded a sharp decline compared to previous years, and the decrease in some areas exceeded 90% compared to 2023, which is the year that was considered a measure after the pandemic.
He explained that Jordanian tourism relies heavily on the seasons, and with the loss of the current season, hotels, especially in historical areas such as Petra, Madaba and Wadi Rum, face the risk of temporary closure as a result of the lack of reservations.
Tourist setback
Jordanian economist Mohsen Al -Zubaidi said that the tourism sector in Jordan is one of the most affected sectors as a result of the continuation of the war between Iran and the Israeli side.
Al -Zubaidi pointed out – in an interview with Al -Jazeera Net – that Jordan is directly dependent on the tourism sector, which is considered one of the most important economic tributaries of Jordan, as it recorded advanced numbers during the first quarter of this year, but the war is between Tehran And Tel Aviv It formed a relapse like a relapse in the tourist and economic field together.
The economist stressed that Jordan is one of the countries most affected by the war between the Israelis and the Iranians, noting that the continuation of the war will inflict negative effects in Jordan in various economic sectors, expecting that tourist income will decline as a result of the acceleration of the abolition of hotel reservations due to the cancellation of tourist groups, their flights to the region in general, and to Jordan in particular.
The risks that may be caused to Jordan can be summed up as a result of the outbreak of the war between Israel And Iran and its continuation as follows:
- The number of arriving tourists, and the abolition of collective and individual reservations, especially from the European and American markets.
- Holding tourist revenues, damaged sectors such as hotels, transportation, and restaurants.
- Tourist investments are disrupted, freezing new tourism projects due to geopolitical blurring.
- General economic pressure as a result of the decline in the revenues of the tourism sector.
The head of the Jordanian Civil Aviation Commission Commissioners, Haitham Mousso, confirmed that the number of passengers in the Kingdom decreased by 48% and the number of aircraft by 43% since Friday, June 13, with the start of the war between Israel and Iran, explaining that the safety of civil aviation and ensuring that the atmosphere is free of risks is a major requirement within the International Civil Aviation Agreement.
He pointed out that the ongoing events led to the closure of the Jordanian atmosphere at intervals and partially opened them in a tactical manner that ensures the maintenance of the safety level.