Petra: Prime Minister Jafar Hassan on Wednesday inaugurated the newly renovated Crowne Plaza Petra Hotel, which had remained closed since 2012. The reopening is part of his regular field visits, where he also inspected various tourist sites in the Petra district.
According to Jordan News Agency, the reopening follows an accelerated renovation process completed over the past three months. This initiative was prompted by the Prime Minister's initial visit to Petra. During an inspection tour in October, Hassan had instructed that renovation efforts be expedited to ensure the hotel's operation by early 2026.
Established in 1980 and owned by the Social Security Investment Fund, the Crowne Plaza Petra Hotel enhances the district's tourism infrastructure. The hotel boasts 143 units, comprising 62 hotel rooms and 81 chalets, along with a conference hall capable of accommodating 300 people. The project is expected to create nearly 200 job opportunities, prioritizing local community employment.
During his tour, Hassan visited the Cultural Village, launched in 2023 on a 65-dunum site, which offers employment opportunities for local residents. He reviewed ongoing tourism and heritage programs, discussing their development with stakeholders. He emphasized the need to focus on marketing local tourism and heritage products, especially traditional handicrafts crafted by local community members.
Hassan encouraged the activation and enhancement of programs and activities to enrich the visitor experience in Petra, highlighting its cultural and civilizational heritage, and maximizing benefits for local residents. He also visited the Hyatt Zaman Hotel and Resort, established in 1994 and renovated in 2022, which currently enjoys a 75% occupancy rate. He praised the project as a model of successful investment partnership with the local community, which provides nearly 100 job opportunities.
During his visit to the Petra district, the Prime Minister directed comprehensive maintenance work at the Petra Sports Stadium, urging its reopening to support sports and youth activities. Accompanying Hassan were Minister of Tourism and Antiquities Imad Hijazin, Chair of the Petra Development and Tourism Region Authority Fares Breizat, and Ma'an Governor Khaled Hajjaj.
Breizat noted a significant increase in visitor numbers to Petra in January, with a nearly 70% rise compared to 2023 and a 64% increase compared to 2024. He highlighted a recent influx of tourists from new Arab markets, including Morocco, Algeria, Tunisia, Syria, and Libya, following the resumption of Royal Jordanian Airlines flights to these destinations.
Breizat further reported that hotel occupancy rates increased from 7% in 2024 to 30% by the end of 2025. The number of visitors to Petra more than doubled, from 115,000 in the last quarter of 2024 to 210,000 during the same period in 2025.