Sectors await gov’t’s expected lifting of COVID restrictions

AMMAN — The government’s plan to gradually lift restrictions related to the pandemic is the first step towards reviving the national economy, according to stakeholders.

The government is expected to gradually announce new decisions regarding lifting COVID-19 measures by the end of this week. The decisions will be related to the tourism sector, in addition to some defence orders and decisions for restaurants.

Chairman of the Jordan Chamber of Commerce (JCC) Nael Kabariti noted that lifting restrictions will positively affect the commercial and economic sectors, most importantly the tourism sector.

“Reducing restrictions, especially the PCR tests, whether at land borders or airports, will reduce the high costs, therefore reviving the tourist movement which we need today,” Kabariti told The Jordan Times on Tuesday over the phone.

He said that lifting restrictions now could have positive effects on tourism before the start of summer, when tourism is at its highest.

He also said the new decisions could benefit the wedding industry and hotels.

“There has been a shift recently to private weddings in farms, so wedding halls are still suffering from the pandemic,” he said. 

“Lifting restrictions will help this sector, especially in the upcoming wedding season during summer, notably for hotels which also depend heavily on weddings and conferences,” Kabariti said.

Economist Wajdi Makhamreh stressed the importance of lifting restrictions due to the positive outcome it will have on the economy, especially the tourism sector, as many people have recently cancelled their trips to Jordan due to the epidemiological situation and related restrictions.

“The government realised that we need to adapt to the pandemic with these decisions, which are important to promote economic growth and return tourism to what it was, especially now that there is herd immunity,” Makhamreh told The Jordan Times over the phone.

Makhamreh expressed his hope that the government would not change its mind and implement the decisions as soon as possible.

Amjad Mansoor, a sales manager at a travel agency in Amman, told The Jordan Times that 80 per cent of tourist reservations were recently cancelled due to health protocols and restrictions.

“Tourists prefer to go to other countries with fewer restrictions to reduce the cost,” he said.

Mansoor emphasised the need to lift all restrictions to enable the sector to return with full capacity, especially in light of competition from neighbouring countries.

“We are hoping for a good year for tourism, as long as the government makes the right decisions,” he added.