Petra, 7 May. (askanews) – Petra is open, Jerash is open, Jordan is very far from the war front. Yet tourists give up. Since 7 October 2025 the sector has been experiencing collapses and timid recoveries; with the war in Iran, which began at the end of February, a new slowdown came.
In Petra, admissions in March and April fell to 28-30 thousand visitors, compared to 112 thousand in the first two months of the year. The ruins are accessible, the airports work, the shops are open. But for those who book the perception of an unstable region is enough to cancel the trip.
Petra is deserted, the war is far away but fear is holding back tourists
“What we see these days – says this souvenir shopkeeper – is something anomalous: many businesses on the site have closed, hotels, shops… The situation is beyond words. During Covid we closed knowing that the airports were closed and everything was at a standstill, so there was no movement or demand. Now things are open, but you don’t know if you will be able to earn your daily bread”.
Someone arrives anyway. For those who pass through Petra without crowds, the emptiness can even seem like a privilege. But the sign of a missed season remains all around.
“Of course – says a Ukrainian tourist – today many companies have canceled flights. I don’t know why, perhaps due to the very high cost of fuel. But I think our tickets were worth it: it’s a beautiful country and perhaps this is the best season to visit it. It’s not hot, it’s very comfortable”.
The Pandemic, the war in Gaza and now Iran: Jordan is safe, the countries around it are not
The same scene is repeated in Jerash, where the guides were waiting for a good season after the difficult years of the pandemic and the war in Gaza.
“I have been a guide since 2010, so for about 16-17 years. Unfortunately, in recent years, tourism has stopped several times due to crises in the region. Here in Jordan, due to our geographical position, we are surrounded by unstable countries. And every time something happens around us, tourism stops here too, even if we don’t have problems in Jordan.”
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