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Tourism sector contributed 53,489 jobs in 2019 — ministry

By Maria Weldali - Jan 18,2020 - Last updated at Jan 18,2020

AMMAN — The Ministry of Tourism and Antiquities in 2019 celebrated Petra’s millionth visitor and a general increase in tourism activity, which contributed to the local economy and saw the employment of a total of 53,489 persons.

The sector employed individuals in hotels, travel agencies, tourism restaurants, tourism shops, guide centres, diving centres, car rental offices, water sports resorts and tourist transportation companies, according to data published on the ministry’s website.

The majority of people employed in the tourism sector worked in hotels and tourism restaurants, each accounting for 39 per cent of the field’s personnel, according to the website.

The ministry also published the number of visitors to Jordan’s main tourism sites, categorising them according to nationality and length of stay in the Kingdom. This information showed that most tourists come from European countries, especially Spain, Italy, France and Germany.

In terms of domestic tourism, as the ministry figures showed that 55,446 Jordanians visited Jerash in 2019, in addition to other areas within the country.

Avid Jordanian traveller Salma Ali said that the Kingdom’s many assets including ecotourism, medical tourism, major historical sites, natural landscapes, reserves and camps, in addition to cultural and recreational tourism, provide citizens with unique experiences, strengthening their desire to discover their own country.

“Jordanian citizens have lots of areas to discover in Jordan, and with the presence of innovative technologies, these places can be easily reached,” Ali told the Jordan Times on Thursday.

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