AMMAN: The “positive” tourism indicators in July bode well for the sector’s performance next year, Tourism Minister Nayef Al Fayez said Monday.
A total of 422,254 tourists visited Jordan in July, registering a 20 per cent increase compared to the same period last year, including some 337,000 overnight visitors, 30 per cent higher than last July. The sector’s revenues in July stood at JD250.6 million, compared with JD196.6 million during the same month last year, according to the ministry’s figures based on information provided by the Central Bank of Jordan.
At a meeting with the press, Fayez said the sector is “moving in the right direction although some issues still remain”. He cited the government-funded campaigns implemented by the Jordan Tourism Board (JTB) as a major move that contributed to a higher influx of tourists, in addition to cancelling entry visa fees for visitors who buy unified tickets for 39 tourist sites, which is aimed at extending their stay in Jordan.
The minister said the number of Arab-Israelis visiting Jordan and staying over three nights rose by 50 per cent due to decreasing visa fees from JD40 to JD10. Addressing the decrease in the number of visitors to Petra, some 235km south of Amman, the ministry, in cooperation with Ministry of Finance, has exempted tourist institutions in the region from penalties on income and sales tax delays.
