Khaberni - Hotel sector employees in Petra anticipate that school and scout trips included in the program “Our Jordan is Heaven” will have a positive impact on the occupancy rates in two-star hotels, amid ongoing effects on tourism by regional conditions.
They stated, in separate remarks to “Al-Ghad”, that this initiative would activate budget hotels which have been suffering from noticeable stagnation for more than two years, while three-star, four-star, and five-star hotels will remain outside this benefit due to pricing and operational guidelines.
Affected Facilities and Beneficiaries
Petra Hotel Association president Hussein Al-Nawafleh confirmed that including school and scout trips in the “Our Jordan is Heaven” program will contribute to increasing the occupancy rates in one-star and two-star hotels, as they are the most suitable in terms of price for this category.
He explained that “hotels ranging from three to five stars will not greatly benefit from this initiative, not only due to the higher prices, but also because some of them might refuse to host such groups due to difficulties in controlling behavior and adhering to the facility’s guidelines”.
Al-Nawafleh noted that “student trips are a new experience for hotel facilities in Petra,” expressing hope for their success especially under the tough economic conditions facing small establishments for more than two years.
Impact of “Our Jordan is Heaven” Amid Tourism Decline
Al-Nawafleh revealed that the current occupancy rate in Petra hotels does not exceed 25%, which is low compared to the same time in previous years, when it would reach 100% during the peak tourist season.
He expressed optimism for a gradual return of incoming tourism to Petra following the announcement of the cessation of Zionist aggression on Gaza, pointing out that regional stability is a fundamental condition for revitalizing foreign tourism.
On his part, Abdullah Al-Hasanat, former president of the Petra Hotel Association, confirmed that including school trips will contribute to a reasonable revitalization of hotel facilities, though the most significant impact will be seen on the lower-rated hotels.
He added that “Our Jordan is Heaven trips to Petra have been and continue to be the main driver of the hotel sector currently,” noting that they have helped many establishments to continue despite the challenges and prevented more closures that the sector faced over the past two years.
Meanwhile, Ahmad Hilalat, an employee at one of Petra's hotels, saw that the smaller hotels are the primary beneficiaries of this approach, especially since the hotels are devoid of visitors during a time that traditionally sees the highest occupancy rates.
He said, “Before the aggression on Gaza, Petra hotels experienced full occupancy during this time of year, and we expect these rates to gradually return next year if the cessation of aggression continues.”
Expanding the Base of Beneficiaries
The Ministry of Tourism and Antiquities recently announced the launch of a new category within the program “Our Jordan is Heaven - Petra” targeting school and scout trips in cooperation with the Ministry of Education, aiming to enhance domestic tourism and raise young generations’ awareness of the national heritage.
According to the ministry, this direction is part of its efforts to support the tourism sector in Petra, following a meeting that included the Minister of Tourism and Antiquities, Dr. Imad Hajjazin, with representatives of the tourism sector in the city, resulting in a package of measures to support and promote tourism to the rose-red city.
The ministry indicated that the number of students in the kingdom exceeds 2.3 million, over 1.5 million of whom are in public schools, forming a large segment that could contribute to activating the sector.
The ministry also provided modern tourist buses with various capacities (14 and 30 passengers), and facilitated group and institutional trips, offering distinctive services.
The hotel sector in Petra is banking on this step to boost domestic tourism, at a time when foreign tourism continues to face slowdowns. With the cessation of aggression on Gaza, those working in the sector hope for a gradual return of foreign visitors, contingent on continued local and official support for tourist destinations.
