Tourists surge back to Jordan’s desert marvel Petra

Petra: Tending to their camels at Jordan’s spectacular archaeological wonder Petra, hidden deep in a desert valley, Hussein Badal is all smiles: the tourists are back.

After years in which the COVID-19 pandemic turned the storied “Rose City” into a ghost town, the father of seven is back at work, offering visitors rides on his decorated animals.

“Tourism is back and the numbers are even higher,” said Badoul, 35, dressed in Bedouin dress with a red keffiyeh scarf over her long black hair, reflecting a resurgence in the past year.