AMMAN — Spokesperson for the Jordanian Association of Travel and Tourism Offices and Companies Bilal Rubine said that some 70 per cent of international flights have been cancelled by airlines until April 5, with the possibility of extensions if the regional conflict continues.

In remarks to Al Mamlaka TV on Thursday, Rubine said that Jordan’s tourism sector is facing an “unprecedented” crisis in recent years due to regional tensions and the Iran war.

He added that these developments coincided with the Eid Al Fitr holiday, with travellers concerned about the possibility of airport closures upon returning from their trips, pointing to a clear decline in regional air traffic, with many flights cancelled or postponed.

Rubine said that tourism booking cancellations in March reached around 90 per cent, with some destinations such as Petra witnessing near-total cancellations, reflecting a sharp drop in demand.

He noted that before the crisis, booking levels had been at their highest compared with the previous year, but cancellations surged after the outbreak of the crisis to around 60 per cent compared with the earlier period, leading to a significant decline in tourist numbers and revenues.

Rubine expected cancellations to continue in the coming months, reaching around 50 per cent in April and between 40 and 50 per cent in May if regional tensions persist.

He stressed that tourism offices are facing “severe” financial pressure due to obligations including loans, taxes, and operating costs, as well as an inability to repay following a brief recovery between 2023 and early 2025, in addition to the lingering effects of the COVID-19 pandemic.

He warned that the current situation could lead to the closure of some tourism offices and job losses, describing it as a “real crisis” threatening the continuity of companies.

Rubine said that the association is calling for loan rescheduling, tax exemptions, direct government support, full exemption from licensing fees, and reduced operating costs such as electricity and water.

He noted that domestic tourism has seen some movement through the “Urdunna Jannah” programme and targeting Jordanians and residents in neighbouring countries via land tourism, adding that these efforts cannot compensate for the losses in inbound tourism revenues.

The spokesperson added that the most affected sectors include hotels, which are experiencing extremely low occupancy rates with mass cancellations, airlines facing flight cancellations and declining demand, and tourism offices whose programmes have largely stopped while incurring significant operational losses.

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