Post-pandemic losses in wedding venue industry deepen as private farms rise in popularity: Jordan

Post-pandemic losses in wedding venue industry deepen as private farms rise in popularity: Jordan

AMMAN — The occupancy rate at wedding venues currently stands at roughly 45 per cent, according to the Head of the Wedding Venues and Planning Businesses Association, Mamun Al Manaseer. Summer season, often marked by graduation parties, engagements and weddings, is the sector’s most active period of the year, Manaseer told The Jordan Times. “Wedding venues usually make the majority of their profits during the period between April and September, while demand the rest of year is mostly stagnant,” he added. However, the occupancy rate between April and June 2023 did not exceed 10 per cent, although in previous years, occupancy rates hovered between 50 and 60 per cent during this period, he continued. Manaseer attributed the decline to the “tough” economic situation, marked by inflation, rising interest rates and high unemployment levels among youth, causing many to delay marriage plans or get married at more modest private settings. Manaseer also posited that the decrease could also be attributed to the growing market share held by private farms. When only small gatherings were allowed during the COVID-19 pandemic, many people began organising weddings at private farms, he noted. “Currently, all restrictions related to the pandemic have been lifted, but it