AMMAN — Petra received 318,311 visitors during the first eight months of 2026, representing a 2.1 per cent decrease compared with 325,121 visitors recorded during the same period in 2025, according to Ministry of Tourism and Antiquities data.

 

Official figures showed that international arrivals dropped 18 per cent to 187,710 tourists between January and August, down from 228,853 foreign visitors during the corresponding period in 2025, Al Mamlaka TV reported.

 

Domestic tourism expanded “significantly,” with Jordanian visitors increasing by 35.7 per cent to reach 130,601, up from 96,268 during the January-August period of 2025.

 

International tourists comprised 59 per cent of total visitors in the first eight months, while domestic travellers accounted for 41 per cent, shifting from 70.4 per cent foreign and 29.6 per cent local shares in 2025.

 

Monthly figures revealed “sharp” growth in early 2026, with overall visitor numbers rising 88.4 per cent in January and 118.2 per cent in February year-on-year.

 

The figures showed that tourist numbers declined by 60.7 per cent in March, 57.4 per cent in April, 29.5 per cent in May and 3.4 per cent in June, before rising again by 52.5 per cent in July and 12 per cent in August.

 

Founded by the Nabataeans, Petra is renowned for its ancient rock-cut architecture, royal tombs, and iconic Al Khazneh (The Treasury).

 

Petra, which was inscribed on the UNESCO World Heritage List in 1985 and named one of the New Seven Wonders of the World in 2007, remains a national symbol and a world-renowned destination attracting visitors from across the globe.