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AMMAN � Welcoming approximately 212,000 visitors in 2023, the Baptism site observed an increase by 36 per cent compared with 2022, according to Director General of the Baptism Site Commission Rustom Mkhjian.

�Number of visitors in December fell by around 70 per cent, however all together this year has been the best ever since the opening of the site,� Mkhjian told The Jordan Times.

Prior to October 7, the year-over-year increases in the number of visitors to the site were overwhelming, with 2023 being the year that received most traffic, he added.�

�In 2022, the total number of visitors to the Baptism site reached 156,000.�

The war on Gaza has led to spillover effects, the official said, emphasising that the Kingdom continues to be a safe and secure destination for all tourists from around the world.

During the first two weeks of October, the visitor count was rising, �but following mid-October, numbers started to drop. A 50 per cent decrease was observed in November�.

�The overall numbers in December fell approximately 70 per cent when compared with the same period in 2022.�

The director general said that people coming from Italy and France constituted nearly 35 per cent of the total number of visitors; the majority of Arab tourists came from Lebanon, while local visitors accounted for around 6 per cent of the total visitor number.

According to Mkhjian, the trend for restoration and renovation emphasise the true character of the site, noting that during the pandemic the site�s commission focused on turning challenges to opportunities, making the site more accessible, and establishing a new visitors� centre, in addition to training guides to become specialised in faith-based tourism.

In 2024, the silver jubilee of Epiphany is to be commemorated at the baptism site �Bethany beyond the Jordan�.�

Starting on the January 12, prayers, masses and ceremonies of the Epiphany will be held by the churches in Jordan, bringing together thousands of pilgrims from Jordan and abroad.