A total of 100,362 visitors arrived in the ancient city of Jerash from January through July 2026, including 38,106 Jordanians and 62,256 foreign visitors, according to preliminary official figures from the Ministry of Tourism and Antiquities.
اضافة اعلان
The figures showed that 117,701 visitors were recorded during the same period in 2025, including 44,817 Jordanians and 72,884 foreign visitors.
Compared with the same period in 2025, the number of visitors in 2026 declined by 14.7%.
According to the detailed official figures, February 2026 recorded the highest number of visitors, with 27,279, while April 2025 saw the highest monthly figure during the corresponding period, with 48,813 visitors.
According to the website of the Jordan Tourism Board, Jerash is home to the Jerash Festival for Culture and Arts, established in 1981. The long-standing tradition continues to feature a wide range of local, regional and international cultural activities and performances staged at the ancient city's historic venues, attracting visitors from around the world.
The Jordan Tourism Board notes that Jerash was known as Gerasa (Γερασα) during the early Greek periods, a name derived from its Semitic name, Jarasha. It was later known as Antioch on the Golden River (Ἀντιοχέων πρός τῷ τῶν Χρυσορόᾳ), referring to the stream that runs through the city. The name Antioch was associated with Antiochus, one of the Seleucid kings, and remained in use until the beginning of the Roman period.
The city's ancient name, Gerasa, was subsequently restored following Emperor Hadrian's visit to Jerash in 129 AD. During the same period, the Nabataeans referred to the city as Jarsho, with the final waw serving as one of the markers of the nominative case.
