Tourism in Jordan is one of the most affected sectors by the COVID-19 outbreak which raised many challenges for decision makers in the country who struggle to face the damage.
An investment calamity looms on the horizon in light of the coronavirus outbreak that had imposed new life patterns. During workdays, a partial curfew is applied while a 24-hour curfew is imposed during weekends.
Restaurants, entertainment places, and tourist sites were shut, while air, land, and maritime travel were suspended. Hotels were evacuated to be used as quarantine places for returnees.
Jordan Tourism Board Managing Director Abdul Razzaq Arabiyat said that the tourism revenue dropped below zero following the lockdown mid-March. Tourism sector revenues reached USD5.8 billion in 2019, which is 15 percent of the GDP.
Tourist restaurants loss was estimated at JOD200 million during the past two months, knowing that more than 50,000 employees work in this sector and a large number of them is subject to dismissal due to the current condition.
In objection, Members of the Jordan Society of Tourism & Travel Agents (JSTA) submitted their resignations but they haven’t been approved.
They took this stance to stress the importance of backing the sector during the holiday and to object the dismissal of some employees. They also highlighted the necessity of offering soft loans to guarantee the sector’s survival. JSTA also demanded exemption from rentals, taxes, and licenses.
The tourism sector crisis is expected to worsen as a result of the government's decision to impose a 24-hour curfew during Eid al-Fitr, thus, doubling losses of various economic sectors.
