Petra (Amman, Jordan) has reported an increase in tourism in the first quarter of 2010, a positive sign for the region, said officials. The numbers of tourists visiting Petra rose by 50 per cent in the first quarter of 2010, said the Petra Development and Tourism Region Authority (PDTRA). From January to March, around 210,000 local residents and foreigners visited the city, as opposed to 140,000 visitors in the same period last year.
Speaking on the occasion, PDTRA Chief Commissioner Nasser Shraideh said the increase is a result of improving economic conditions all over the world and efforts made by the ministry of tourism, Jordan Tourism Board and tour operators. "The credit goes to everybody involved in the sector and it is a very reassuring sign that recent measures and policies are taking us in the right direction," he said.
Shraideh added that this is a positive sign since it shows that Jordan will witness an overall increase in tourism this year.