Ghosts replace crowds as Covid-19 rattles Jordan's ancient city of Petra

Empty streets, hotel rooms and restaurants shine harsh light on crisis facing tourism industry

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Camels laze in the shade of 2,300-year old columns. Centre stage at the amphitheatre is temporarily reserved for goats. The noise of crowds in front of the treasury - the most recognisable and best preserved feature of the ancient city of Petra - has evaporated, and only birdsong intrudes on the silence.

This is peak season of what was supposed to be a record year for tourism in Jordan's crown jewel, the Nabataean metropolis carved into kaleidoscopic rock. But the last tourists left the Middle Eastern kingdom on 17 March, just before it shut its borders because of coronavirus, and since then Petra and the surrounding towns have been deserted.