Jordan’s domestic revenue rises 3.6% to $6.59bn in H1  

Tourism revenue for the first seven months of 2025 rose by 8.6 percent, totaling $4.398 billion. Reuters/File
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Updated 14 August 2025
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Jordan’s domestic revenue rises 3.6% to $6.59bn in H1  

RIYADH: Jordan’s domestic revenues climbed 3.6 percent in the first half of 2025 to 4.67 billion dinars ($6.59 billion), bolstered by fiscal measures aimed at strengthening public finances, official data show. 

The increase — equivalent to about 164.7 million dinars — came as the government reduced public debt to 35.3 billion dinars, or 90.9 percent of gross domestic product, down from 92.7 percent in May, the state-run Petra news agency reported, citing Central Bank of Jordan figures.  

The decline followed the Finance Ministry’s June repayment of $1 billion in maturing Eurobonds, funded through concessional loans secured earlier in the year at a 4.8 percent interest rate. The move allowed Amman to avoid issuing new debt at yields that could have approached 9 percent amid global and regional market pressures. 

According to a report in July, domestic revenues rose by about 224.1 million dinars in the first five months of the year, reaching 4.067 billion dinars, compared with 3.843 billion dinars in the same period of 2024. 

Tourism revenue for the first seven months of 2025 rose by 8.6 percent, totaling $4.398 billion. That growth occurred despite a 5.6 percent dip in tourism receipts in July, which fell to $721.4 million.  

Revenue from visitors of Asian nationalities surged by 41.1 percent, European visitors contributed a 33.8 percent increase, Americans accounted for a 21.7 percent rise, Arab visitors added 7.3 percent, and other nationalities posted a 38.0 percent increase.   

Meanwhile, revenue from Jordanian expatriate visitors declined by 2.5 percent.   

“The figures showed a 4 percent increase in spending by Jordanians on tourism abroad during the first seven months of 2025, reaching $1.247 billion,” stated the report.  

In July alone, that outbound tourism spending rose 7 percent, amounting to $247.4 million.  

Jordan’s Economic Modernization Vision identifies tourism as a core pillar of national growth, with the sector positioned to drive inclusive economic development and job creation.   

The strategy aims to boost GDP growth to 5.6 percent and attract significant private investment, with 72 percent of the required 41 billion dinars expected from non-government sources.   

The National Tourism Strategy 2021-25 supports this vision by promoting sustainable, authentic tourism experiences and strengthening sector competitiveness.  

These initiatives form part of broader efforts to diversify revenue streams, enhance fiscal resilience, and position Jordan as a high-value destination for regional and international travelers.  


Investment licenses in Saudi Arabia have increased 20-fold in 5 years 

Updated 56 min 57 sec ago
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Investment licenses in Saudi Arabia have increased 20-fold in 5 years 

RIYADH: The total number of investment licenses issued in Saudi Arabia rose 83.4 percent year on year in the third quarter of the current year to 6,986 licenses, excluding those issued under the campaign to correct the status of violators of the Anti-Concealment Law. 

According to the Financial Analysis Unit at Al-Eqtisadiah, investment licenses have increased twentyfold over the past five years, compared with 351 licenses in the third quarter of 2020.  

Since the announcement of Vision 2030 in 2016, foreign direct investment inflows have more than quadrupled. They grew by 24.2 percent last year to SR119.2 billion ($31.7 billion), marking the highest value and fastest growth rate in three years. This figure exceeds the annual target of SR109 billion by around 39 percent.     

By sector, most licenses issued during the third quarter of 2025 were concentrated in construction activity, accounting for around 37 percent of total licenses, with 2,583 licenses.   

This was followed by wholesale and retail trade with 1,214 licenses, representing 17 percent of the total. Manufacturing ranked third with 11 percent, bringing the combined share of the three sectors to 66 percent of total licenses.  

Wholesale and retail trade recorded the highest growth rate in investment licenses, with year-on-year growth of 234 percent, followed by the construction sector, human health and social work activities, education, and accommodation and food services, each posting growth of more than 100 percent.