Jordan tourism sector revenues increase

Revenues of the tourism sector in Jordan increased in 2004 in comparison with the earlier year, despite the recession in the number of visitors. This was because the visitors stayed for longer times.

The ministry of tourism said that the volume of the revenues of the tourism sector reached 612 million Jordanian dinars ($ 860 million) in 2004 against 586 million dinars ($ 820 million ) in 2003, despite the decrease in the number of tourists by a rate of 9.9% in comparison with the same period.

The number of tourists decreased to 3.7 million in 2004 from 4.1 million in 2003 while the number of transit travelers through the Jordanian territories decreased by 22.2% to reach 2.150 million.

The ministry said that number of visitors to Jordan from the Gulf states increased from 351,000 to 467,000 in the same period. However, the number of visitors from other Arab states decreased from 868,000 to 786,000.

Jordan intends to embark on a national plan to increase tourism. This plan aims at attracting 12 million tourists by the fall of 2010 and developing and improving tourist sites with the support of the private sector. Tourism occupied the second source for foreign currency income in Jordan following money transfer from Jordanians working outside the country.