12/02/12, 13:32:47 EST

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Jordan: Tourist numbers rise

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Two years after a series of bomb attacks devastated Amman, Jordan's tourism industry is reporting healthy growth with more than five million visitors a year.

New figures released on Monday show the number of tourists increased by 2.6 percent this year compared to 2006, and the amount they spent during their visit rose by 22 percent.

The number of tourists rose from 4.97 million people in 2006 to 5.1 million this year. According to a government survey, around 55 percent of the visitors were Arab while 20 percent were European.

The official statistics were produced in conjunction with a tourism project funded by USAID.

Spending also increased. The statistics show that in the first nine months of 2007, visitors spent 1.7 billion dollars, compared to 1.47 billion dollars for the same period in 2006, during an average stay of 14 days.

The study also showed almost 70 percent of all overnight stays were recorded in Amman, followed by Aqaba, Petra and the Dead Sea.

The government says the tourism industry is well placed to receive any increase in visitors.

In November 2005 terrorists linked to al-Qaeda claimed responsibility for bomb attacks on three hotels in Amman.

Sixty people died and another 115 were injured in the bombings that were linked to the terror group led by Jordanian born Abu Musab al-Zarqawi, killed in a US air strike in Iraq in June 2006.

 Printable Version  | published Nov 05, 2007