Jordan’s tourism industry struggling as Gaza war deters visitors

Reuters, PETRA, Jordan/LONDON, Nov. 9 To keep her hotel in ancient Petra operational, Enas Al Hinti has urged staff to take unpaid leave and cut staff pay in half as Western tourists avoid Middle Eastern sites out of fear of war.

Before the conflict, more than a million people annually visited tourist places like Petra, Wadi Rum, and crusader castles.

After visiting Jordan’s most popular tourist destination, they discovered that the owners had boarded up their stores.

Flight bookings decreased

According to data from travel intelligence service Forward Keys, flight ticket bookings to Jordan, decreased 35% year over year affecting tourism.

The situation has gotten worse after Iran’s April drone strike attack on Israel and military attacks between Israel and Iran.

Difficulties in the Middle East’s tourism sector

According to Forward Keys data, since the war broke out after Hamas-led militants flight reservations to the area have decreased 6% annually.

Reservations to Israel and Lebanon experienced a steeper reduction than those to Jordan.

According to Tourism Minister Lina Annab, Jordan’s tourism industry has weathered past crises associated with the protracted Israeli-Palestinian conflict, as reported by Reuters.

Annab stated that “this calls for us to really focus on our most resilient markets, which are not as affected by the situation,” noting that tourists continue to go from nearby nations.

“We used to have 4,000 visitors every day,” Marcus Massoud, a salesperson in one of the numerous souvenir shops in Petra, recalled.
“We currently have 300 to 400. It’s not the same as previously.

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