AMMAN — The number of Jordanians leaving the country for tourism purposes fell 12.5 per cent year-on-year during the first half of 2026, according to preliminary official data.

 

A total of 706,065 Jordanians departed for tourism between January and June, compared with 806,971 during the same period in 2025, according to data reviewed by Al Mamlaka TV.

 

The number of departures stood at 161,709 in January, 104,051 in February, 99,153 in March, 70,237 in April, 127,851 in May, and 143,064 in June.

 

The sharpest decline was recorded in April, when departures fell 38.2 per cent to 70,237, compared with 113,692 in April 2025.

 

The decline in outbound tourism comes as tourism-related spending by Jordanians and residents also decreased, according to Central Bank of Jordan data.

 

Tourism spending fell 6.7 per cent in June 2026 to $182.4 million, while spending during the first half of the year declined 9.4 per cent to $906.1 million.

 

In April, Secretary of the Tourism and Travel Agents Association Ibrahim Nabali said that outbound tourism from Jordan has seen a sharp decline since the start of the Iran war, with sales of travel packages dropping to “zero” since Eid Al Fitr and remaining at that level.

 

At the time, Nabali said that Jordanians’ travel bookings abroad have dropped by a record 90 per cent compared with the same period last year.

 

He said that travel was limited to essential cases only, including scholarship students, conference participants and medical travel, while family and group tourism has completely halted for nearly 40 days.

 

Nabali said that the main challenge was no longer political conditions or hotel prices, but the “unjustified” increase in airline ticket prices, particularly to key destinations such as Egypt and Turkey.