AMMAN — The tourism sector has been sharply affected by the Iran war, with cancellations for March reaching 100 per cent, travel agencies union said.

 

According to Mahmoud Khasawneh,head of the Jordan Society of Tourism and Travel Agents (JSTA), the sector has been impacted “deeply” affected by the war, adding that tourism activity came to a halt as soon as the conflict began.

 

Khasawneh told Al Mamlaka TV that several tours to the country have been canceled as the conflict continued, reaching around 85 per cent for April and 70 per cent for May in inbound tourism.

 

With inbound tourism to Jordan being largely seasonal, he said that the focus in June, July and August, will shift towards regional tourism and expatriates.

 

He also said that JSTA was working to maintain existing bookings while seeking to attract tourists from new and “less sensitive” markets, in addition to the Arab Gulf region, “through strategic plans that could help recover 30 to 40 per cent of losses sustained during the first quarter of 2026.”

 

Khasawneh also said that land borders have remained open despite the war, stressing the importance of focusing on regional tourism.

 

He called on the government to support the sector by putting in place a plan to attract Arab tourists from nearby countries.

 

Chairman of Board of Commissioners of Petra Development and Tourism Region Authority Adnan Sawair said that hotel bookings in Petra dropped by around 80 per cent in April, based on total hotel capacity, while cancellations for May reached approximately 50 per cent as a result of regional developments and their impact on tourism.

 

In remarks to Al Mamlaka TV, Sawair said the tourism sector in Petra started 2026 with positive indicators in terms of visitor numbers, but those gains later declined sharply , reaching near-zero levels at some times, amid escalating regional tensions.

 

He stressed that Petra is among the most affected areas, given its heavy reliance on tourism as a primary driver of the local economy.