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Petra Tourism Drops Sharply Amid Regional Conflicts
Ancient site in Jordan has seen visitor numbers collapse since the war in Gaza began, with the subsequent Iran conflict reducing tourism to almost nothing. Souvenir seller Saidat described opening every day without knowing whether earnings will cover living costs. Petra, once a major draw, now stands largely empty.
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Jordan's ancient marvel Petra has been deserted since the Mideast war began. The war in Gaza led to an 80 to 90% drop in tourism to Petra, according to souvenir seller Saidat. The Iran conflict then reduced the number of visitors to almost zero, @AFP reported.
Petra, an ancient marvel in Jordan, once drew large crowds of international visitors. Those flows have now evaporated, leaving the site's vendors facing daily uncertainty about basic income. The sharp decline began with the war in Gaza, which cut tourism by 80 to 90 percent.
Conditions worsened further when the Iran conflict took hold, bringing visitor numbers down to almost none. Saidat's account captures the immediate human impact. With no predictable foot traffic, each morning at the souvenir stalls brings the same question of whether sales will cover living expenses.
The empty walkways and silent ruins stand in contrast to Petra's historical role as one of Jordan's premier attractions. No new figures on current visitor counts were available beyond Saidat's description of near-total collapse.
