AMMAN — The Jordan Hotels Association (JHA) said on Thursday that hotel occupancy rates in Amman declined during the last week of August compared with previous weeks, attributing this to the end of the summer holiday season, the conclusion of concerts, and the return of expatriates to their places of residence.

 

In a statement to Al Mamlaka TV, JHA also noted that tourist activity at the Dead Sea dropped due to the end of the summer break and the resumption of schools.

 

As for Petra, the association noted that visitor numbers remain low in the rose-red city.

 

Regarding occupancy rates, the association said that the average hotel occupancy in Amman stood at 51 per cent, while the Dead Sea recorded 36 per cent and Petra just 6 per cent during the last week of August.

 

“Petra is one of the most affected tourist sites by the decline of tourist numbers due to the war on Gaza and its repercussions on the region,” said Petra Development and Tourism Region Authority (PDTRA) Chairman Fares Braizat in early August.

 

During a meeting with Lower House committees, he pointed out that 32 hotels containing 2,000 rooms have been closed in Petra and 700 employees have lost their jobs.

 

Braizat added that 38,000 of Petra’s residents are directly or indirectly dependent on tourism and have been affected by the tourism “crisis”.

 

Tourism related professions have been excluded from profession licence requirements, and a number of tenants have also been relieved of rent dues in 2024, he continued.