Khaberni - The Jordan Hotel Association said on Monday that it is keenly following the geopolitical developments and ongoing war in the Middle East, and the direct implications on global travel and tourism, which have started to clearly reflect on the tourism sector in the Hashemite Kingdom of Jordan.
The association stated that the current period of tension and uncertainty in the region has led to a "noticeable decrease" in the number of tourists coming to Jordan, along with a number of flight cancellations from a large number of global and Arab tourist markets, directly impacting tourist booking movements.
It added that these developments have led to a "sharp decline" in hotel occupancy rates in many tourist destinations in the country, especially in areas that mainly depend on international tourism, where occupancy rates in some hotels have approached very low levels close to zero due to the halt of bookings and cancellation of tourist programs.
The association explained that the hotel sector is one of the most affected by regional events and political tensions, due to its direct connection with international travel and aviation, despite Jordan's high level of security and stability and its good reputation as a safe tourist destination in the region.
The association affirmed the ongoing cooperation and coordination with the Ministry of Tourism and Antiquities and relevant entities, where an emergency room has been established to monitor developments daily, observe their reflections on the tourism sector, and take necessary actions to address the new developments.
It noted that through this joint coordination, efforts are being made to study and implement solutions and measures that contribute to the support and sustainability of the tourism sector, and mitigate the impacts of these exceptional circumstances on tourism and hotel facilities and their employees.
The association emphasized the importance of intensifying joint efforts between the public and private sectors to maintain the continuity of the operations of tourism facilities and protect the investments and jobs associated with this vital sector.
The hotel association expressed its confidence in Jordan’s ability, under the leadership of His Majesty King Abdullah II bin Al-Hussein and its national institutions, to overcome these challenges as it has many previous crises, expressing hope that the region will soon see a calming that contributes to restoring confidence in travel and tourism and the resumption of normal tourism activities as soon as possible.
