Petra Authority Waives 95% of Additional Waste Collection Fees for Tourism and Commercial Establishments
Petra Authority grants a 10% service fee exemption for tenants of the new commercial market
Debt settlement initiative launched for tenants of the old commercial complex
Outstanding debts of tenants at the old commercial complex exceed JD300,000 and are covered by the settlement initiative
The Petra Development and Tourism Region Authority (PDTRA) has approved a package of exemptions and financial relief measures aimed at supporting the tourism and commercial sectors in the region as part of the government’s efforts to mitigate the impact of the current crisis and ongoing geopolitical challenges.
Chairman of the Authority’s Board of Commissioners, Adnan Al-Suwaeir, said the measures include a 10% exemption from service fees for tenants of the new commercial market, a 95% exemption from additional waste collection fees for tourism and commercial establishments operating in the region for the current year, and the launch of initiatives to settle outstanding debts owed by tenants of the old commercial complex, which exceed JD300,000.
The measures were announced during an expanded meeting chaired by the Minister of Tourism and Antiquities in Petra, in line with directives from the Prime Minister to conduct a comprehensive assessment of the economic and social impacts of the current crisis, particularly on the tourism sector in the Petra Development and Tourism Region.
The meeting was attended by the Chairman of the Authority’s Board of Commissioners, the Governor of Ma’an, the Director General of the Social Security Corporation, the Deputy Governor of the Central Bank of Jordan, the Assistant Director General of the Development and Employment Fund, a representative of the Jordan Tourism Board, and representatives from tourism businesses and cooperatives operating in the region.
Participants reviewed the current state of Petra’s tourism sector, the extent of the damage suffered by businesses and workers, and measures needed to ensure the sustainability of tourism activities while reducing the economic and social repercussions of the crisis.
The meeting concluded with several recommendations, including postponing and rescheduling financial obligations owed by tourism businesses to banks, the Social Security Corporation, and electricity and water providers, as well as contributing to employees’ salaries.
Participants also discussed long-term solutions to strengthen the sector’s resilience against future crises, including allocating resources for the Authority’s risk management fund and launching a package of tourism programs to stimulate visitor traffic in Jordan’s Golden Triangle, with a particular focus on overnight stays in Petra.
Supported by the Jordan Tourism Board, the programs are designed to attract visitors from Arab citizens of Israel (Arab 48), the Gulf states, Egypt, Lebanon, and Russia through competitive travel packages offered in cooperation with Royal Jordanian Airlines and the Arab Bridge Maritime Company.
