AMMAN — His Majesty
King Abdullah on Sunday highlighted the importance of further developing the
city of Petra, and diversifying its tourism product, as well as capitalizing on
it being one of the New Seven Wonders of the World.
اضافة اعلان
During a visit to Petra that
included a meeting with representatives of the local community and touring the
Petra Museum and a productive kitchen project, King Abdullah said developing
tourism services in the “Golden Triangle” of Petra, Wadi Rum, and Aqaba, will
have a positive impact on Petra and Jordan at large.
His Majesty, who was
accompanied by HRH Crown Prince Hussein, called for maintaining coordination
and bolstering cooperation with Arab countries in the tourism sector, in light
of strong regional competition in the field, a Royal Court statement said.
The King noted the continuous
rise in the number of visitors to Petra, which calls for expanding investments
in the tourism sector, as well as improving the infrastructure, and advancing
services to keep up with the evolving needs of the tourism sector.
Representatives from the local
community presented a number of suggestions for developing the city and
enhancing services to visitors and tourists, in addition to promoting Petra as
a tourism destination.
During a visit to the Petra
Museum, His Majesty listened to a briefing by Petra Development and Tourism
Region Authority (PDTRA) Chief Commissioner Suleiman Farajat on the artefacts
on display, excavated in Petra and the surrounding areas.
Farajat said the museum seeks
to diversify the tourism product for Petra visitors, preserve the
archaeological site, and extend visitors’ stay, which would increase tourism
receipts.
Also during the visit, His Majesty stopped
at the Petra Kitchen, founded in 2004 by Eid Nawafleh to introduce tourists to
Jordanian and Arabic cuisine through evening classes.
The Petra Kitchen offers tourists the
opportunity to cook and try traditional Jordanian and Levantine dishes,
supervised by skilled chefs from the local community.
Nawafleh said the project aims to
encourage the residents of Wadi Musa and Petra to start businesses that enrich
tourists’ experience.
According to the PDTRA, the Petra region’s
revenues in 2022 rose to JD18.1 million, increasing by nearly 117 percent
compared to 2021.
The number of visitors also rose to
905,000 in 2022, increasing by 283 percent compared to 2021, while the number
of hotel rooms increased to 3,100 in 2022, up by 55 percent compared to 2018,
with the PDTRA aiming to reach 4,000 hotel rooms by 2024.
The PDTRA has completed 12 projects over
the past four years at an estimated cost of JD 31 million, while providing some
1,500 jobs in the hospitality sector in 2022, an increase of 49 percent
compared to 2018.
Royal Hashemite Court Chief Yousef Issawi,
Director of the Office of His Majesty Jafar Hassan, and Tourism Minister Makram
Queisi accompanied the King on the visit.
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