AMMAN — A total of 155,855 tourists visited Petra in the first four months of 2026, with most of them being non-Arabs, according to official figures.

 

The figures, cited by Al Mamlaka TV on Saturday, showed that there were 119,043 non-Arab visitors, 29,218 Jordanian visitors, and 7,594 non-Jordanian Arabs to the rose-red city.

 

During the same period of 2025, Petra welcomed 161,006 visitors, including 122,821 non-Arabs, 27,480 Jordanians, and 10,705 non-Jordanian Arabs.

 

Comparing the two periods shows that the total number of visitors dropped by 3.2 per cent, which is a decrease of 5,151 tourists.

 

Previous statistics from the Petra Development and Tourism Region Authority (PDTRA) showed that Petra had 582,550 total visitors in 2025, which marked a 27 per cent increase compared to 2024, which recorded 457,215 visitors.

 

According to the PDTRA website, Petra is one of the most important archaeological sites in the world and one of the New Seven Wonders of the World. Located in southern Jordan, it is famous for its unique architecture carved entirely into pink rocks, earning it the name "the rose-red city".

 

The Nabataeans, a “powerful” Arab people with wide regional influence, established the city and lived there from the fourth century BC until the second century AD.

 

Petra stands out because its main structures, including royal tombs, massive facades, temples, and the famous Treasury, were carved directly into sandstone mountains.

 

This design highlights incredible engineering skills and a unique ability to turn nature into a complete city.