jordan pulse -

​The President of the Society of Tourist and Travel Agents, Mahmoud Al-Khassawneh, attributes the decline in the number of Jordanians traveling abroad for tourism during the first eight months of the current year to the geopolitical conditions across the region and uncertainty regarding flight operations, noting that travelers fear flight cancellations or delayed returns.
​Al-Khassawneh stated in remarks on Monday that figures also indicate a shift among Jordanians toward domestic tourism through the "Urdun Jannah" program or via direct bookings made by travelers.
​He pointed out that Jordan offers diverse tourism options, including historical sites, natural landscapes, and adventure activities.
​Regarding preferred destinations for Jordanians, Al-Khassawneh noted that geopolitical tensions led to changes in traditional choices, with Syria ranking first due to the lack of flight requirements, followed by Turkey and Egypt.
​According to preliminary figures from the Ministry of Tourism and Antiquities based on Central Bank of Jordan data, the number of Jordanians departing abroad for tourism dropped by 8.7% during the first eight months of 2026, reaching approximately 1.066 million departures compared to roughly 1.167 million during the same period in 2025.
​The decrease amounted to approximately 101.1 thousand departing travelers between January and the end of August 2026.
​The data revealed an increase in departures during three months compared to the same period last year, rising by 1.6% in January, 7.5% in May, and 3% in August, while remaining months recorded declines.
​April registered the sharpest among the eight months at 38.2%, followed by March at 21.3%, February at 19.8%, June at 10.3%, and July at 2.4%.
​Survey results conducted by the Center for Strategic Studies at the University of Jordan showed that awareness of domestic tourism programs, such as "Urdun Jannah," reached 73.3% among respondents, while 83% of the national sample indicated that these initiatives encouraged citizens to pursue domestic travel.
​The Ministry of Tourism and Antiquities previously stated to "Al Mamlaka" that participants in the "Urdun Jannah" program from the beginning of the year through early October reached approximately 211,000.
​Al Mamlaka / Rum News Agency