Jordan’s tourism revenues soared more than 30 percent in the first quarter of 2010, generating around one billion dollars, an official said.

“Tourism revenues were estimated at 700 million dinars (one billion dollars) in the first quarter of 2010, a 31.3-percent increase compared to the same period last year,” Jordan Tourism Board director Nayef Fayez said. Fayez told the state-run Petra news agency that the majority of tourists to Jordan were from Arab states such as Lebanon, Syria, the Gulf countries and Egypt.
“The tourism board is currently trying to focus on new markets like India, China and South America,” he said.
Tourism and bank transfers from Jordanians working abroad are the top sources of hard currency earnings in the kingdom.
Jordan has dozens of tourist attractions, including the Nabatean pink-rock city of Petra, the ancient Roman town of Jerash, the Dead Sea which is the lowest point on earth, and the Red Sea resort of Aqaba.
AFP