JORDAN: Petra prepares for tourist influx with world wonder status

Jordanian government officials hope that Petra's new status as one of the world's seven wonders will boost the country's tourism dependent economy. Petra, the Great Wall of China, and Brazil's statue of Christ the Redeemer are among the modern day seven wonders of the world chosen in a poll of 100 million online voters earlier this month. The other four are Peru's Machu Picchu, the mountain settlement that symbolises the Inca empire, Mexico's Mayan ruins at Chichen Itza, the Colosseum in Rome and the Taj Mahal in India. Osama Dabbas, the Jordanian Tourism Minister, says Petra's selection will raise its profile and boost tourism. "We are expecting an increase in the number of tourists visiting Petra. In fact indications are starting to reveal that there is a demand and requests over visiting Petra around the world," Dabbas said. "We hope that the increase will continue because as I said (tourism) is a main pillar of Jordan's economy and generates jobs for the youth," he added. Tourism exceeded 10 percent of Jordan's gross domestic product (GDP) last year and is one of the country's two top foreign currency earners. Jordan's tourism revenue stood at JD 1.16 billion in 2006, a JD 142 million increase since 2005. While Petra remains one of Jordan's main tourists attraction the trickle down effect does not seem to be reaching its impoverished native inhabitants. Mohammed al-Dour's tribe and ancestors have lived in Petra for around 800 years. They used to live in caves within the city until the government provided them with residences in exchange for their land in 1984. According to Mohammed their residences are over-crowded as people do not have land or the means to build new housing. According to al-Dour, the only way in which their livelihoods would improve depends on the development of Petra's infrastructure and services which would attract more tourists. "The most important thing is to improve people's situations and for them to do that they need to develop the area. They should provide more services within the area so that when tourists visit they would have these services among other things," he said. Although over 3 million tourists visit Petra every year, locals think that the number could be much higher if services like sanitation, organised transportation, attractive packages, and marketing schemes are developed. "Petra needs more support and development. Currently, we as a government and local fronts are going to implement a new system and project through the ministry of tourism and the antiquities department. The project will regulate Petra and the reserve overcoming any obstacles we currently face. It will also develop the city of Petra through a programme and set laws to enable us to welcome flocking tourists and develop the infrastructure within the ancient city," governor of Petra, Ibrahim Assaf said. Petra, which means rock, is a rose - red city carved in stone and was the capital of the Nabateans who inhabited the area in the third century BC for around 500 years. It was discovered by a Swiss explorer in 1812 who became the first westerner to see it.

ITN Source | July 29, 2007

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