‘14,300 people cross from Saudi Arabia in four days’

AMMAN — Jordan's southern border is witnessing "very active" movement, with thousands flocking to the Kingdom from the Gulf to spend Eid Al Fitr holiday, an official source said Monday.

More than 14,300 people coming from Saudi Arabia entered Jordan in the last four days, said Jordan Customs Department (JCD) Spokesperson Col. Jihad Hajji.

"In addition, around 13,000 vehicles entered Jordan during the last four days, of which 5,318, mostly coming from the UAE, arrived at the border in less than 24 hours," Hajji told The Jordan Times.

"This is a very large number," he noted, saying that Saudis, Emiratis and Jordanian expatriates topped the list of arrivals through Jordan's border crossings.

"We expect more to come via Omari and Mudawara crossings in the coming days," Hajji said.

Last year, over 200,000 cars entered the Kingdom from border crossings with Saudi Arabia in the months of June and July, according to JCD figures. 

Official figures estimate the number of Jordanian professionals working abroad at around 750,000, over 300,000 of whom are based in Saudi Arabia, followed by the United Arab Emirates with nearly 200,000.

Saudi media outlets rank Jordan among the preferred destinations for Saudi holidaymakers, along with Dubai and Bahrain.

Travellers from Saudi Arabia represent the largest number of tourists during summer, as official figures by the Ministry of Tourism show that over 1 million Saudi visitors come to Jordan every year.