Tourist numbers surge over Labour Day long weekend

AMMAN — Tourist numbers surged last week due to the Labour Day long weekend, Tourism Minister Lina Annab said on Monday during a briefing with ministers on the state of the Kingdom’s tourism sector. 

During a Cabinet session, Annab cited the large numbers of tourists received by most sites during the week. 

The number of tourists in Karak, Ajloun, Um Qais, Madaba, Jerash and Tafileh exceeded 22,000 visitors, around 25 per cent of whom were foreigners and 75 per cent Jordanians and Arabs, Annab said, noting that the number exclude visitors to  Petra, Aqaba and the Dead Sea, the Jordan News Agency, Petra, reported.

By marking the Labour Day on Sunday and extending the weekend, the government contributed to increasing the number of tourists to these sites, she noted, while highlighting several of the tourism ministry’s art events and festivals.

The minister said that Ajloun Tourist Festival witnessed large numbers of attendees over the three-day weekend, adding that more than 10,000 tourists visited Ajloun Castle, 8,178 went to Um Qais and 2,700 toured Madaba, the majority of whom were from China, South Korea and India. 

Jerash received some 4,300 tourists and Tafileh’s tourist sites welcomed 2,378 visitors, the minister added.

These numbers reflect a remarkable increase in tourism activities in the Kingdom and are expected to contribute to raising tourism revenues, Annab said, adding that, numbers are up by 14 per cent since the beginning of the year.