As part of its efforts in boosting the number of Arab Gulf tourists, constituting of 17.8% of total incoming tourists in 2006, the Jordan Tourism Board launched a two-month promotional campaign throughout the Gulf region. The campaign, which will run until July 1, is designed to introduce potential visitors from the Gulf to Jordan's increasing tourism attractions and what the country has to offer for families.

JTB started running its advertising campaign entitled ‘Marhababkom’ (welcome) on MBC satellite channel as well as a corresponding print campaign in local magazines targeting potential visitors from Bahrain, Kuwait, Oman, Qatar, Saudi Arabia and the UAE.

The Cabinet’s recent decision, under which Arab tourists visiting the Kingdom's historical sites will pay the same entry fees as local citizens between June 6 and September 30th, would help increase the number of Arab and Gulf national visitors to tourist sites. The decision will be applied between June 6 and September 30.

Preliminary figures released by the Ministry of Tourism showed that some 1.388 million tourists visited the country between January and March, compared to 1.1 million during the corresponding period of 2006. A total of 6.57 million tourists visited the country last year, of whom 1.91 million were from Arab countries.

According to the Central Bank of Jordan, arrivals between January and March increased revenues by 30 per cent to JD268.9 million, compared to JD188.23 million during the same period of last year.