Khaberni - During 2025, the archaeological city of Petra recorded clear rates of gradual recovery in the tourism sector, driven by a noticeable improvement in the number of visitors compared to 2024, following the regional challenges that cast a shadow over tourism movement in the area.
According to official statistics issued by the Petra Development and Tourism Region Authority, in 2026, the total number of visitors to the city reached 582,550, marking an increase of 27% compared to 2024, which recorded 457,215 visitors. This reflects a gradual return of confidence in Petra as a global tourist destination and a partial recovery of its activity after a period of decline. The number of foreign visitors increased by 45% compared to the same period, with an additional count of 116,468 foreign visitors.
Despite this improvement, data indicates that visitor numbers are still below the peak levels recorded in 2023, when the number of visitors exceeded 1.17 million. This clarifies the extent of the tourist sector's impact due to political and security developments in the region and simultaneously confirms the resilience of tourism in Petra and its ability to recover within a relatively short period.
The numbers showed that foreign visitors constituted the largest percentage of Petra's total visitors in 2025, amounting to 373,752 visitors, which is 64% of the total visitor count, confirming the city's continued reliance mainly on international tourism. On the other hand, the number of Jordanian visitors reached 161,490, in addition to Arab visitors, residents, and students, indicating the diversity of nationalities and categories welcomed by the city, although international tourism remains the primary driver of tourism movement. In 2024, the number of foreign visitors was 257,284.
On a monthly distribution level, October recorded the highest number of visitors during the year, totaling 81,069, benefiting from the peak of the autumn tourist season and suitable weather conditions. December also saw notable improvement, with visitor numbers reaching 53,383, achieving growth of 95% compared to December 2024 and 75% compared to the same month in 2023, reflecting a gradual return of bookings and tourist programs at the end of the year.
Regarding the nationalities visiting the city most in 2025, Jordanians topped the list with a total of 161,490 visitors, while the number of city visitors from regular flights within the program “Our Jordan is Paradise” in cooperation with the Ministry of Tourism and Antiquities reached 73,752 visitors.
In terms of foreign tourism, the American nationality ranked first with 53,797 visitors, followed by Russian with 32,259 visitors, the United Kingdom with 28,047 visitors, France with 26,792 visitors, Italy with 26,311 visitors, Spain with 19,690 visitors, Germany with 17,782 visitors, India with 12,793 visitors, Poland with 12,239 visitors, Turkey with 9,102 visitors, Indonesia with 8,476 visitors, South Korea with 8,078 visitors, China with 7,949 visitors, Canada with 7,340 visitors, Australia with 6,698 visitors, Romania with 6,392 visitors, Mexico with 6,368 visitors, and Japan with 6,062 visitors.
Dr. Fares Al-Breizat, the president of the Petra Development and Tourism Region Authority's commissioners board, said that the return of tourist activity to Petra will contribute to supporting the authority's budget with the financial resources necessary to carry out various developmental projects in the region, and provide employment opportunities for local community members, as well as support tourism service providers, including tourist guides, the Camel Owners Association operating in Petra, the Donkey Owners Association, the Nabataean Capital Association, the Nabataean Trail Association, in addition to hotels, restaurants, and oriental antique shops among other sectors linked to the tourism process.
Al-Breizat affirmed that the authority continues to work on developing tourist services, improving infrastructure, and organizing visitor movement within the archaeological site, which ensures the preservation of the site's privacy and historical value, and at the same time enhances the concept of sustainable development that aligns with various sectors, aiming to reach a stage of inclusive tourism industry through developing tourist tracks and introducing new tracks and experiences.
He added that the authority, in cooperation with partners, worked during 2025 to develop the “Petra by Night” program to provide an experience befitting the global stature of the city, through light shows, hologram technologies, and music that harmonizes with the nature of the archaeological site, besides increasing the number of days it is held to five days a week instead of three.
Al-Breizat indicated that one of the most significant achievements last year was the approval of the system for leasing and ownership of immovable properties outside the boundaries of the Petra Archaeological Reserve for the year 2025, which aims to encourage organized local investment, curb random practices and encroachments, and open up opportunities for establishing tourism, service, and developmental projects that contribute to job creation and support the local economy.
He also confirmed that the authority organized during the past year field trips in Petra for a number of ambassadors and representatives of international media, in addition to celebrities and social media activists, with the goal of conveying positive messages about Jordan's security and stability, promoting the tourist and archaeological products that distinguish the pink city, contributing to stimulating tourist activity.
The overall numbers in 2025 reflect a cautious recovery of the tourism sector in Petra, driven by continuous promotional efforts, relative improvement in global travel movement, and the return of low-cost airlines and other airlines to the kingdom after a period of cessation due to regional conditions.
Generally, 2025 can be considered a year of rebalancing for tourism in Petra, as it brought the city back to growth after a period of decline, and began efforts to transform this quantitative recovery into sustainable long-term growth that enhances Petra’s status as one of the top global tourist destinations.
