Tourism is one of the most important sectors in Jordan's economy. In 2009, 3.5 million tourists from various countries visited Jordan, with tourist receipts amounting to about 3 billion dollars.

Its major tourist attractions include visiting historical sites, like the worldwide famous Petra (UNESCO World Heritage Site since 1985, and one of New Seven Wonders of the World), The Jordan River, Mount Nebo, Madaba, numerous medieval mosques and churches, and unspoilt natural locations (as Wadi Rum and Jordan's northern mountainous region in general), as well as observing cultural and religious sites and traditions.

Jordan also offers Health tourism, which is focused in the Dead Sea area, Education tourism, Hiking, Scuba Diving in Aqaba's coral reefs, Pop-culture tourism and Shopping tourism in Jordan's cities.

 

• Petra in Ma'an, the home of Nabateans, is a complete city carved in a mountain. The rocks are colorful, mostly pink, and the entrance to the ancient city is a 1.25 km narrow crack in the mountain - called the Siq. In the city are various structures, all (except 2) are carved into rock, including the al Khazneh - otherwise known as the Treasury - which was chosen to be one of the New Seven Wonders of the World. Other major sites of interest in Petra include the Monastery, the Roman theater, the Royal Tombs, the High Place of Sacrifice. Petra was rediscovered for the western world by Swiss explorer Johann Ludwig Burckhardt in 1812.
• Umm Qais, a town located on the site of the ruined Hellenistic-Roman city of Gadara.
• Ajlun, famous for the Islamic al-Rabadh Castle.
• Jerash, famous for its ancient Roman architecture, including the colonnaded streets, arches, Roman theatres, and the Oval Plaza.
• Amman contains the Roman theater, in addition to several museums, where one may find remains of the Dead Sea Scrolls.
• Al Karak contains an important castle from the times of Salah al-Din, known as Al-Karak Castle.
• Umm al-Jimal, the so-called "Black Gem of the Desert", was once a town on the margins of the Decapolis. Rural and well to do, it was a fitting contrast to the surrounding busy cities. Its black basalt mansions and towers, some still standing three stories high, have long inspired poets.
• esh-Shobak Crusader castle, less than an hour north of Petra. Once called "Mont Real". It dates from the same turbulent period as Karak. It is perched on the side of a mountain, with a grand sweep of fruit trees below. The castle's exterior is impressive, with a forbidding gate and encircling triple wall. Despite the precautions of its builder, the fortress fell to Saladin only 75 years after it was raised. Inscriptions by his proud successors appear on the castle wall.
• Qusair Amra, one of the best preserved Umayyad Islamic period monuments and is a UNESCO World Heritage Site. Its interior walls and ceilings are covered with unique frescoes, and two of the rooms are paved with colourful mosaics.

• Madaba is well known for its mosaics, as well as important religious sites such as:
  • The Madaba Map.
  • The River Jordan, which is the river where Jesus Christ was baptised by John the Baptist according to christian tradition.
  • Mount Nebo, where Moses was said to have gone to get a view of the Promised Land before he died, according to the Bible.
  • The world's oldest church was recently unearthed in Mafraq.

• The Dead Sea - It is the lowest point on earth, 402 meters below sea level, and becomes 1 meter lower each year. It is located near River Jordan.
• Aqaba is a town on the shore of the Gulf of Aqaba with numerous shopping centers, resorts, hotels and access to water sports.

• Wadi Rum is a desert full of mountains and hills located south of Jordan. It is popular for its sights in addition to a variety of sports that are practiced there, such as rock-climbing. It is also known for its connection to Lawrence of Arabia.
• Amman is a modern city known for its shopping centers, hotels and an ancient Roman amphitheatre.
• Mahis with its religious sites.
• Al-Omwia's Palace

Every summer, more than a million affluent vacationers from the Persian Gulf spend their summers in Jordan, the most concentrated in Amman. With them, they bring more than 700,000 cars onto Jordanians highways creating massive traffic delays in the Amman area. These visitors do not go to historical sites but instead they spend their summer shopping, going to concerts and nightclubs, and going to spas. They rent or own penthouses and villas in Amman and they either rent or bring their own cars. Billions of dollars are invested in Jordan's infrastructure every year to be able to handle this massive influx in the form of luxurious hotels, high end apartments, and highways.

More than half of the approximate 4.8 Arab tourists in 2009, mainly from the Persian Gulf, plan to spend their holidays in Jordan.

 

Jordan has a number of natural reserves.

Dana Nature Reserve Dana Nature Reserve covers 308 square kilometres and is a world of natural treasures. It is composed of a chain of valleys and mountains which extend from the top of the Jordan Rift Valley down to the desert lowlands of Wadi Araba. The visitor to this area will be awed by the beauty of the Rummana mountain, the mystery of the ancient archaeological ruins of Feinan, the timeless serenity of Dana Village and the grandeur of the red and white sandstone cliffs of Wadi Dana. The Reserve contains a remarkable diversity of landscapes, which range from wooded highlands to rocky slopes and from gravel plains to dunes of sand. Moreover, Dana supports diverse wildlife which includes a variety of rare species of plants and animals; Dana is home to about 600 species of plants, 37 species of mammals and 190 species of birds.

Azraq Wetland Reserve Azraq is a unique wetland oasis located in the heart of the semi-arid Jordanian eastern desert, one of several beautiful nature reserves managed by the Royal Society for the Conservation of Nature (RSCN). Its attractions include several natural and ancient built pools, a seasonally flooded marshland, and a large mudflat know as Qa'a Al-Azraq. A wide variety of birds stop at the reserve each year for a rest during their arduous migration routes between Asia and Africa. Some stay for the winter or breed within the protected areas of the wetland.

Shawmari Wildlife Reserve The Shawmari Reserve was created in 1975 by the RSCN as a breeding centre for endangered or locally extinct wildlife. Today, following breeding programmes with some of the world's leading wildlife parks and zoos, this small, 22-square-kilometre reserve is a thriving protected environment for some of the most rare species in the Middle East. Oryx, ostriches, gazelles and onagers, which are depicted on many 6th century Byzantine mosaics, are rebuilding their populations and reasserting their presence in this safe haven, protected from the hunting and habitat destruction that nearly wiped them out.

Mujib Nature Reserve The Mujib Reserve is the lowest nature reserve in the world, with a spectacular array of scenery near the east cost of the Dead Sea. The reserve is located within the deep Wadi Mujib gorge, which enters the Dead Sea at 410 metres below sea level. The Reserve extends to the Kerak and Madaba mountains to the north and south, reaching 899 metres above sea level in some places. This 1,300 metre variation in elevation, combined with the valley's year-round water flow from seven tributaries, means that Wadi Mujib enjoys a magnificent bio-diversity that is still being explored and documented today. Over 300 species of plants, 10 species of carnivores and numerous species of permanent and migratory birds have been recorded. Some of the remote mountain and valley areas are difficult to reach, and thus offer safe havens for rare species of cats, goats and other mountain animals. Mujib's sandstone cliffs are an ideal habitat for one of the most beautiful mountain goats in the world, the horned Ibex.