AMMAN — Petra is the Kingdom’s most vulnerable destination to regional instability due to its heavy reliance on international arrivals, Chief Commissioner of the Petra Development and Tourism Region Authority (PDTRA) Adnan Sawair said on Saturday.

 

Sawair said around 83 per cent of tourists visiting Jordan come specifically to Petra, making it the first destination to be affected by regional developments and booking cancellations, the Jordan News Agency, Petra, reported.

 

He noted that Petra has advanced but “costly” infrastructure due to its difficult terrain, adding that the local tourism sector is operating under “challenging conditions” following a sharp decline in foreign visitors.

 

As one of the New Seven Wonders of the World, Petra has attracted concentrated investment in the district and Wadi Musa, particularly in tourism, Sawair said, warning that successive crises since the COVID-19 pandemic have exposed the risks of overdependence on a single revenue stream.

 

“The region performs best when tourism is active, benefiting hotels, guides and local associations,” he said, stressing the need to diversify investments in the area.

 

He explained that PDTRA revenues rely heavily on foreign visitor entry fees, which fund local services, associations and tour guides. “The absence of foreign tourists means the absence of this income, creating a real crisis for the authority and the local community,” he said.

 

Data showed a sharp decline in performance during the recent Labour Day holiday, with hotel occupancy in Petra not exceeding 6 per cent, compared with 96 per cent in other tourist destinations across the Kingdom.

 

While the “Urdun Jannah” programme has helped stimulate local restaurants and markets, Sawair said it has not significantly supported hotels or generated sufficient revenue for the authority, despite attracting around 3,500 domestic visitors on peak days.

 

He called for coordinated efforts involving the government, Royal Jordanian, and the Jordan Tourism Board to support Petra as the country’s main tourism gateway, particularly amid ongoing industry pressures.

 

Sawair added that there are currently 84 hotels in Petra, with additional projects under construction, but the downturn has led to closures and job losses, worsening socio-economic pressures in the region.

 

He said PDTRA is preparing for post-crisis recovery through infrastructure upgrades, economic and administrative reforms, and digital transformation initiatives.