Tourist footfall increases as restaurant sector struggles: Jordan

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As the number of tourists visiting the Kingdom witnesses a substantial increase, the restaurant sector continues to struggle to rebound, according to stakeholders

The number of tourists visiting the Kingdom during the first four months of 2022 has “exceeded expectations”, according to the Ministry of Tourism and Antiquities.

“Over one million tourists have entered the Kingdom since the beginning of the year,” the Jordan News Agency, Petra, reported.

The total number of tourists who have entered the Kingdom in 2022 so far is 1,059,092, according to Petra.

“The number of international tourists has increased by almost 300 per cent in comparison with the same period of 2021,” according to the Tourism Ministry.

Hanna Skarup, a tourist from the US visiting Jordan, said the Jordan Pass encouraged her to visit Jordan. “It is a very good deal for tourists,” she said.

The Jordan Pass is a package that can be bought online or at Queen Alia International Airport. It includes entrance to multiple tourist attractions, such as the Baptism Site, Petra, Jerash and more, said Skarup. The cost of the tourist entry visa is also included in the pass, she noted.

However, while the tourism sector has made great rebounds, the restaurant sector in the Kingdom is “collapsing”, Nimer Weld Ali, Secretary General at the Jordanian Union of Restaurants and Confectionary Proprietors, told The Jordan Times.

“Restaurant owners are still in debt due to poor government policies,” he added.

He stated that the prices of food essentials, such as cooking oil, chicken and meat have “skyrocketed” and the government is in “denial”.

Although sales have increased by almost 200 per cent during Eid Al Fitr holiday, Weld Ali said that “restaurants footfall remains stagnant”.

Meanwhile, an owner of a restaurant in downtown Amman, told The Jordan Times that the number of visits to restaurants is still low. “Traffic is stagnant and store sales are falling,” he stated.