Mideast first global region to top pre-Covid tourist arrivals

Mideast first global region to top pre-Covid tourist arrivals

International arrivals to destinations in the Middle East during the first quarter of 2023 were 15% higher than in the same period of 2019, making it the first global region to exceed pre-pandemic numbers, according to UNWTO data.

For the Middle East, tourism represents an unrivalled driver of employment and opportunity, as well as economic diversification and resilience, delegations from 12 countries heard at 49th meeting of the UNWTO Regional Commission for the Middle East at the Dead Sea, Jordan.

Tourism leaders from across the Middle East discussed the sector’s development across the region, including as a driver of inclusive employment and rural development.

Jordan welcomed 4.6 million tourists in 2022, close to the 4.8 million recorded in 2029, with receipts from tourism totalling $5.8 billion for the year

On the eve of the Regional Commission meeting, UNWTO Secretary-General Zurab Pololikashvili met with HRH Crown Prince Al Hussein to congratulate him on the "rapid and remarkable" recovery of Jordanian tourism. The Secretary-General also commended the strong support shown to tourism by the Jordanian Royal Family and the Government, including for ongoing work to diversify the sector.

Zurab Pololikashvili said: "Tourism has shown its resilience in the face of crisis. And now, recovery is well underway