By Khetam Malkawi, Jordan Times

A tour guide (left) describes the Citadel in Amman to Gulf tourists on Wednesday (Photo by Sahem Rababah)

AMMAN – Although the tourism sector has exhibited steady growth in recent years, this year is witnessing a downturn in the industry’s growth that has so far diminished its contribution to the Kingdom’s gross domestic product (GDP).

Experts differ in their analysis of the situation and end-of-year forecasts, but agree on the need for a feasible strategy to address any shortcomings, as a senior official says the plan is already under preparation.

Annual revenues generated by the sector contribute 13 to 14 per cent of the GDP, a rate that might not be achieved in 2011 as the first half of the year witnessed a 12 per cent drop in the sector’s revenues, official figures show.

The sector’s earnings in the first six months of the year amounted to JD949 million, down from JD1.089 billion in the first half of 2010, according to the statistics, released during the past week by the Ministry of Tourism and Antiquities.

Approximately 3.124 million tourists visited the country in the January-June period, a 14.2 per cent drop compared to the same period last year, when the figure stood at 3.639 million, according to the ministry’s report.