Petra witnesses tourism, commercial boom in 2019

AMMAN — Petra has welcomed a total of 1,041,948 visitors during the first 11 months of 2019, compared with 757,038 visitors in the same period of 2018, marking an increase of 284,910 visitors and registering a 38 per cent growth.

According to statistics from the Petra Development and Tourism Region Authority (PDTRA), Petra saw 152,576 visitors in November 2019, 141,556 of whom were foreigners, 10,776 were Arabs and 244 were student visitors, the Jordan News Agency, Petra, reported. 

Petra saw 101,806 visitors in November 2018, 96,358 of whom were foreigners and 5,413 were Arabs. November 2019 saw a 47-per cent increase in foreign visitors and a 99-per cent increase in Arab visitors compared with November 2018.

PDTRA Chief Commissioner Suleiman Farajat said that Petra has been seeing “historic” numbers since the beginning of 2019, noting that November witnessed the most visitors and activity in the history of the site. 

Coinciding with the unprecedented touristic activity at the site, the hotel sector in the Petra area has seen notable activity. Hotels that closed their doors in previous years are back in business, and the region’s authority has received numerous investment requests in the hotel sector. Additionally, initial numbers indicate an increase of more than 500 rooms in 2020.

Commercial activity in the city has also boomed during 2019, which has been linked to increased touristic activity in Petra, and has created more jobs for the local residents while doubling the number of restaurants in the area.