In a move designed to boost visitor numbers to Jordan, the Ministry of Tourism has begun offering tourists the chance to buy a single ticket that gives them access to most of the Kingdom’s major archaeologist sites and museums.

The Jordan Pass, which grants entry to over 40 sites, can be purchased online for JD70, JD75, or JD80, depending on whether tourists choose one, two, or three days in Petra. The cost of Jordan’s JD40 tourism visa is also waived as part of the deal.

Ali Ajaj, CEO of Imagine Technologies, the company that developed the pass, said it would encourage visitors to Jordan to extend their stay. “Usually tourists stay in the country only for a couple of days, visiting the most famous attractions and then leaving. The ticket will trigger visitors’ curiosity and entice them to stay longer and see more of Jordan’s heritage,” he said.

Travel journalist Matthew Teller said the pass represents good value for money and will prove particularly attractive to independent travelers. “It’s one of the first steps by the Jordanian authorities to recognize that tourism patterns have changed and that independent travelers really matter,” he wrote on his blog. “The Jordan Pass is about making life easier for individual tourists. And the future of Jordanian tourism lies in encouraging individual tourists.”

Visitor numbers to Jordan fell almost 14 percent in the first five months of the year compared to the same period in 2014. Besides introducing the Jordan Pass, the government has taken several other steps to support the struggling sector over recent months.  This included reducing electricity tariffs for hotels by 50 percent and boosting the budget of the Jordan Tourism Board, which is charged with marketing the Kingdom as a tourism destination abroad.