Petra welcomed record-breaking 700,000 visitors in H1 2023

AMMAN — The ancient city of Petra welcomed a record-breaking 700,000 visitors during the first half of the year, according to official statistics released by the Petra Development and Tourism Region Authority (PDTRA) on Friday.

Chairman of the board of commissioners of the PDTRA, Suleiman Farajat, hailed the achievement as the highest ever number of visitors in Petra's tourism history. June, in particular, witnessed an unprecedented surge in visitors, he noted.

The first half of the year witnessed a 102 per cent increase in visitors compared with the same period last year, according to the data. In 2022, the total number of visitors reached approximately 345,713, marking an increase of about 29 per cent compared with the corresponding period of 2019, which witnessed around 539,363 visitors, Farajat said. 

In June alone, 87,373 visitors from around the world came to Petra, denoting a rise of about 39 per cent compared with the previous year and 28 per cent compared with June of 2019, according to the Jordan News Agency, Petra. 

To cope with the growing number of visitors and ensure the preservation of Petra's historical legacy, the authority plans to implement several measures, including using the back road of Petra for transportation, opening the cultural village to visitors and continuing to diversify tourism offerings to enhance the overall visitor experience.

New tourism programmes are set to launch this year, such as the Petra Balloon project and off-road vehicle tours in the Al Beida region. The Red Rose City Nights festival will also continue, he noted.

Farajat revealed the authority’s plans to open additional hotel rooms and further tourism investments, and emphasised PDTRA’s commitment to facilitating investment opportunities.