The Israel-Iran conflict causes Jordan's tourism industry to face further setbacks

The Israel-U.S. war has once again dealt a blow to Jordan’s tourism industry, which had just emerged from the impact of the Gaza war and showed signs of recovery. Before the U.S. and Israel launched military strikes against Iran, popular attractions such as the Citadel Hill and the Roman Theater in Amman, the capital of Jordan, once regained their lively scenes, with frequent tourist buses and a significant recovery in tourism. However, with the military strikes against Iran by the U.S. and Israel, the momentum of Jordan’s tourism recovery abruptly halted.
The negative effects of this round of conflict on Jordan’s tourism market quickly became apparent, with a wave of cancellations in bookings. According to Adnan Saweer, chairman of the Petra Development and Tourism Region Authority, affected by the conflict, the cancellation rate for bookings at the UNESCO World Heritage site Petra in March reached 100%, and the cancellation rates for April and May had already reached 60% and 45%, respectively, with a further upward trend.
Hussein Shirarat, chairman of the Jordan Hotel Association, stated that the cancellation of many international flights directly impacted tourist bookings. Many hotels at various tourist destinations across the country saw a sharp decline in occupancy rates, especially in regions heavily dependent on international visitors, with impacts on transportation, dining, and tour guide services and other tourism-related industries.
Imad Hijaizin, Jordan’s Minister of Tourism and Antiquities, recently said that Jordan has initiated emergency measures to monitor tourism bookings and air traffic, maintain close coordination with industry stakeholders, and take all necessary measures to support the industry. (Xinhua News Agency)