jordan’s visitors’ rise.

The number of overnight visitors to the Kingdom increased by three per cent during the first seven months of 2014, standing at 2,305,870 tourists, compared with 2,237,493 in the same period last year.

Tourism minister Nidal Katamine said: “The number of overnight visitors to the Kingdom increased by three per cent during the first seven months of 2014, standing at 2,305,870 tourists, compared with 2,237,493 in the same period last year.”

Katamine added that overall tourism revenues rose by 10% to reach around JOD1.8 million, compared with JOD1.6 million during the same period in 2013. Number of tour groups increased by 12% during the January-July period of 2014, standing at 157,000 tourists compared with 141,000 last year, he added.

During the first three months of 2014, number of tourists visiting the ancient city of Petra rose by three per cent, Karak by 16.2% and Jerash by 17%, while visitors to the Baptism Site, where Jesus Christ was baptised by John the Baptist, increased by 14.6%.