Business

AMMAN — The "large" increase in apartment sales is attributed to a Cabinet’s decision that stimulated the real estate and housing sector by granting a 50 per cent exemption on registration fees for residential apartments exceeding 150 square meters, an official said on Saturday.

Director General of the Department of Lands and Survey Ahmad Amoush said that the total real estate trading volume in 2024 reached about JD6.7 billion, with expectations for a further increase this year.

Amoush also announced that the department is working on launching a new package of over 22 electronic services as part of its digital transformation plan, aiming to fully automate all services by the end of 2025, the Jordan News Agency, Petra, reported.

He pointed out that the number of in-person visitors to the department has decreased by 70 per cent, particularly for issuing title deeds (Qushan) and land maps, representing a "significant" leap in streamlining transaction procedures.

The Cabinet decided in November of 2024 to exempt apartments over 150 square metres from 50 per cent of the registration fees.

This is in addition to a previous decision granting 100 per cent of the registration fee exemption for apartments under 150 square metres for first-time buyers.

The government also approved a 50 per cent exemption from property tax (musaqqafat fees) for a period of three years for first-time buyers, in an effort to ease the burden on citizens taking housing loans.

As of the end of April, the total real estate trading volume in the Kingdom reached JD2.047 billion, reflecting a 4 per cent increase compared with the same period in 2024.

The trading volume for April alone amounted to around JD555 million.

Also, revenues during the first third of this year rose by 11 per cent compared with the same period last year, reaching around JD84.5 million.

AMMAN — The Economic Modernisation Vision's (EMV) economic engine of "Jordan, a Global Destination" includes a number of "qualitative" tourism initiatives that aim to enhance competitiveness and achieve a sustainable growth, according to an official statement.

The tourism sector is considered one of the "largest" tributaries of the Kingdom’s economy, the Jordan News Agency, Petra, reported.

The Kingdom enjoys "unique" attractions in the religious, historical, and nature-based fields, such as Petra, the Dead Sea, Wadi Rum, the Baptism Site, Machaerus, the Cave of the Seven Sleepers (Ahlu Al Kahf) and the Husseini Mosque, in addition to adventure tourism such as diving and water sports sites.

Jordan enjoys a "leading" position in the fast-growing medical tourism, and it meets the needs of tourists who are looking for "special" experiences in archaeological, nature and health tourism.   

The top tourism initiatives under the EMV aim at developing, managing and preserving tourist sites and facilities, improving various types of tourism products, activating the tourism investment initiative, and facilitating travel to and within Jordan, as well as launching a cost competitiveness initiative and providing services at "reasonable" prices.

The initiatives also include establishing a programme for skill development, launching the "digital tourist initiative", updating the sector's data to facilitate decision-making, enhance tourism marketing, linking Jordan to wider network of countries, improving tourism-related regulations and simplifying governmental procedures.  

The Jordan Global Destination Engine comprises two sectors encompassing 25 initiatives, according to Petra.

Tourism revenue surged to $2.4 billion in the first third of 2025, marking a 15.3 per cent increase compared with the same period last year, according the data from the Central Bank of Jordan (CBJ). 

According to the monthly report issued by the Ministry of Tourism and Antiquities, Jordan welcomed about 2.1 million international tourists in the first four months of 2025, marking a 19 per cent increase compared with the same period last year.

This growth is attributed to promotional campaigns that target global markets, in addition to resuming direct flights and low-cost airlines.

AMMAN — The Jordan Strategy Forum (JSF) on Thursday has issued a new paper in a series of "brief" papers entitled "Work Environment and Reducing Labour Turnover", in which it highlighted the impact of the work environment on employment stability and female economic participation, in addition to the importance of enhancing labour productivity and improving policies and working conditions to support economic competitiveness, and the role of the public and private sectors in achieving this.

In the paper, the Forum stressed that labour productivity is a "key" factor in enhancing business competitiveness and achieving economic growth, because of its role in increasing profits and wages, reducing production costs and raising tax revenues, the Jordan News Agency, Petra, reported.

He pointed out that productivity is affected by several factors, most notably, human capital, technology, labour market regulation, wages incentives, in addition to working conditions and environment, noting that the International Labour Organisation (ILO) has confirmed that "long-term" cost savings are achieved when the company can attract a "higher quality" workforce by expanding and retaining the pool of  job applicants, by reducing the turnover rate of employees and encouraging them to stay in the company.

In this context, the JSF indicated a "positive" relationship between improved working conditions and a decrease in the rate of labour turnover, noting that the Department of Statistics (DoS) has implemented the "New Job Opportunities Survey", which provides an "accurate" database on new and abandoned jobs, the distribution of individuals in them, and the reasons for their departure from work.

In explaining job leaving, the Forum emphasised that factors associated with the work environment "clearly" outweigh economic reasons or financial incentives.

The Forum stressed the need to pay "serious" attention to this issue, especially from private sector establishments and institutions, for its "vital" role in raising the productivity of workers and achieving "higher" profitability for business.

The forum called for enhancing the role of the concerned authorities in developing and improving the work environment, especially in light of their "continuous" efforts to consolidate the culture of decent work, enhance levels of protection for workers, through laws and legislations, collective bargaining mechanisms between employers and employees, and the adoption of tools that stimulate voluntary compliance, pointing to the honour carried out by the Ministry of Labour for "distinguished" establishments in the fields of occupational health and safety from various economic sectors in May of this year.

AMMAN — Minister of Transport Wissam Tahtamouni, on Thursday held a meeting at Jordan Airports Company (JAC) at Amman Civil Airport (Marka) to review progress and the latest steps taken to re-operate the airport.

The discussions went over procedures that have been concluded and the next moves to complete operational requirements.

Tahtamouni listened to the JAC presentation on the steps implemented to meet partial licensing requirements, in preparation to "fully" fulfil operational procedures, as well as the measures taken so far regarding the airport's security and civil aviation facilities.

The minister said the ongoing cooperation and coordination among all relevant stakeholders has "positively" impacted progress in preparation for completing the airport's operational requirements, the Jordan News Agency, Petra, reported.

The minister also emphasised the importance of maintaining level of security and safety at Jordanian airports, noting that "significant" progress has been made with the support of all relevant bodies, mainly Civil Aviation Regulatory Commission (CARC), JAC and its partners.

While JAC CEO Mohammed Jaloudi confirmed the company is operating at "full capacity" to ensure Amman Civil Airport's readiness to resume operations "as soon as possible."

Jaloudi noted efforts are ongoing to meet all operational requirements, in accordance with approved standards.

AMMAN — President of the Textile, Readymade Clothes and Footwear Syndicate, Sultan Allan, said that the Syrian markets are one of the most "important" sources of providing products for the clothing, shoes and fabrics sector in Jordan.

Allan said in a statement on Thursday that the "historical" relations between traders in the two countries facilitate trade transactions between the two sides, and enhance opportunities for cooperation and economic exchange.

He added that there are some products of clothing, shoes and fabrics that are difficult to find suitable alternatives in terms of quality, price and design, stressing that the Syrian market is the "closest" to Jordanians in several respects, most notably the similarity in dress styles between Jordanian and Syrian families, in addition to ease transportation, which contributes to reducing prices of products.

Allan added that Syrian industry requires production inputs, and that Jordanian markets are capable of providing these requirements "effectively" and "efficiently", which would enhance industrial integration between the two countries.

He explained that the syndicate supports opening trade channels with Syria and supports government efforts, alongside the private sector, in order to activate joint trade exchange.

Allan also pointed out that the Syndicate, operates under the umbrella of the Amman Chamber of Commerce (ACC), of which represents the commercial sectors in the Kingdom. 

It submits proposals that provide a "proper" environment to eases customs clearance for exports and imports. 

He commended the role of the Ministry of Industry and Trade in managing this file, based on scientific and practical approaches, which contributes in strengthening the trade channels between Jordan and Syria.

AMMAN — The volume of real estate trading in Jordan during the first third of this year reached JD2,047 billion, an increase of 4 per cent compared with the same period in 2024, according to the monthly report of the Department of Land and Survey.

According to the data monitored by Al Mamlaka TV, the volume of trading in the Jordanian real estate market during April amounted to JD555.5 million, an increase of 29 per cent compared with the same period of 2024, and 38 per cent compared with the previous March.

The value of revenues during the first third of this year increased by 11 per cent compared with the same period in 2024 to reach JD84.5 million. The value of revenues during the month of April increased by 24 per cent compared with the month of 2024, and 39 per cent compared with the previous March, to reach JD21.5 million.

The report indicated that the sale of real estate in the Kingdom during the first third of this year decreased by 1 per cent, as sales of apartments increased by 6 per cent, while land sales decreased by 3 per cent compared with the same period of 2024.

The sale of real estate in the Kingdom during the month of April increased by 21 per cent, compared with its counterpart in 2024, and increased by 38 per cent compared with the previous March, as apartment sales increased by 28 per cent compared with their counterpart in 2024, and 34 per cent compared with the previous month, and land sales increased by 19 per cent compared with the same month of 2024, and 39 per cent compared with the previous March.

The total number of properties sold to companies in the Kingdom during the first third of this year reached 3,772 properties.

The report also indicated that the number of ownership transactions for non-Jordanians during the first third of this year decreased by 13 per cent, as sales of apartments decreased by 10 per cent, and land sales decreased by 17 per cent compared with the same period of 2024.

During April, the number of ownership transactions for non-Jordanians increased by 20 per cent compared with 2024, and 17 per cent compared with the previous March, as apartment sales increased by 8 per cent compared with their counterparts in 2024, and decreased by 14 per cent compared with the previous March, while land sales increased by 33 per cent compared with the same month of 2024, and increased by 71 per cent compared with the previous month.

The estimated value of sales of non-Jordanians during the first third of this year increased by 9 per cent, compared with the same period of 2024, reaching 65 million dinars, and this estimated value increased during last April by 56 per cent, compared with the same month of 2024, and 22 per cent compared with the previous March, reaching JD16 million, Al Mamlaka TV reported.

AMMAN — Chairman of the Jordanian Businessmen Association (JBA), Hamdi Tabbaa, on Wednesday discussed with Cyprus Ambassador to Jordan, Sevag Avedissian, the establishment of a Jordanian-Cypriot Business Council to enhance opportunities for economic cooperation.

In a JBA statement, Tabbaa emphasised the deep-rooted, strategic bilateral relations, noting the association's keenness to enhance economic, trade and investment cooperation to achieve the "greatest possible" benefits.

He said this prospect emerges, given the opportunity to explore various aspects of mutual partnership that would stimulate growth, enhance trade and provide new investment opportunities, the Jordan News Agency, Petra, reported.

Tabbaa stated investment projects in the Kingdom enjoy "significant" privileges for investors and cover numerous economic sectors, making them "effective" contributors to achieve goals of the Economic Modernisation Vision (EMV).

He also called for intensifying meetings and exchanging "promising" investment opportunities among the two countries' businesspeople and the private sector.

To boost economic collaboration, Tabbaa stressed the importance of developing trade exchange mechanisms and mutual regulatory legislation to contribute to increase volume of trade exchange and joint investments.

The Cyprus ambassador welcomed establishment of the joint council, which would contribute to strengthening the Jordanian-Cypriot business people's economic, trade and investment ties and support the two countries' private sector cooperation.

The diplomat noted Jordan has "promising" investment opportunities in numerous economic sectors, mainly in the pharmaceutical, food, real estate, contracting and information technology sectors.

AMMAN — The Jordan Free and Development Zones Group (JFDZ) on Wednesday has successfully resolved a long-standing backlog of "stalled" investments in the Dead Sea Development Zone, signalling a "new" chapter for the region’s growth and revitalisation.

JFDZ Chairman Sakher Ajlouni, announced that all 11 "troubled" investment agreements, some of which had been inactive since 2011, have now been legally and amicably settled. The move is part of broader efforts to reset the investment landscape and prepare the area for high-impact development opportunities.

The resolution process involved a case-by-case review of contracts, offering flexibility to some investors while mutually terminating others, all without financial losses to the state.

Ajlouni emphasised that the aim was not just to close a chapter, but to clear the path for future projects aligned with national development goals, the Jordan News Agency, Petra, reported.

As part of this reset, the Group is currently updating the region’s "master" development plan, originally drafted in 2011. The new version is being shaped by recent market research, shifting investor priorities and the Kingdom’s economic modernisation agenda. The updated blueprint is designed to encourage strategic, sustainable investment while making better use of available land and resources.

Ajlouni stressed that the new plan will provide clear guidance for investors and stakeholders, striking a balance between economic growth and environmental preservation. Final approval is expected in the near future.

Director General of the Development Zones Mohammad Al Wakid, added that the total value of the resolved projects was around JD58 million. These included lease-to-own and development contracts, two of which have now resumed work on-site.

He explained that the delays were primarily due to weak financial planning by investors and mismanagement of contracts issues that persisted despite "generous" government support, including payment flexibility and exemption from penalties.

Five major tourism projects are under construction in the area, with some already open and others nearing completion. These initiatives are part of a broader action plan to reposition the Dead Sea as a "prime" destination for both investment and tourism.

Wakid concluded by noting that although the state lost valuable time due to previous project failures, the region is now poised for a "fresh" wave of development. With past obstacles removed, the "focus" shifts to attracting capable investors and transforming the Dead Sea into a "model" of sustainable growth.