King Abdullah II emphasized the importance of focusing on the development of the city of Petra and the diversification of its tourism product, as well as taking advantage of being one of the seven wonders of the world, which contributes to its global promotion. Wadi Rum and Aqaba) will have a positive impact on the people of the region and the country as a whole. The King, in the presence of His Highness Prince Al Hussein bin Abdullah II, Crown Prince, pointed out the need to maintain coordination and enhance cooperation with sister countries in the field of tourism in light of the strong competition that the sector is witnessing at the regional level. And Abdullah II pointed out that the numbers in Petra point to a steady rise in visitor numbers, requiring a focus on expanding investment in the city’s tourism sector, developing infrastructure and providing cutting-edge services that keep pace with the demands of renewable tourism. .
The participants presented a number of proposals and ideas that will contribute to the development of the city of Petra, improve the services provided to visitors and tourists, and make it a tourist attraction corresponding to its place on the map of world tourism. During His Majesty’s visit to the Petra Museum, he was briefed by Suleiman Al-Farajat, Chairman of the Board of Commissioners of the Petra Development and Tourism Authority, on selected museum collections of artefacts discovered in and around Petra. The museum includes interactive screens showing the history of the region, films depicting the past, and life-size models built inside the museum. The entire display is based on recent research into the history, archeology and heritage of the region. Al-Farajat said the museum’s goal is to diversify the tourism product for visitors to the Pink City, preserve the archaeological site and extend the stay of tourists, which increases Petra’s tourism income.
The king was also informed about the Petra production kitchen, which was founded by Eid al-Nawafala, a member of the local community, in 2004. To acquaint tourists with Jordanian and Arabic cuisine, conducting evening classes for city guests. The kitchen gives tourists the opportunity to participate in the preparation and consumption of popular dishes with the help of experienced chefs from the region. According to Al-Nawafleh, the project aims to encourage the sons and daughters of Wadi Musa and Petra to create businesses that contribute to enriching the tourist experience for visitors to the ancient city of Petra.
According to the Petra Regional Authority, its revenues increased in 2022 to 18.1 million dinars, which is 117% more than in 2021. The number of visitors to the ancient city has also increased to 905,000 visitors in 2022; growth of 283% compared to 2021, just like the number of hotel rooms increased to 3,100 rooms in 2022, up 55% compared to 2018, and the authorities intend to reach 4,000 hotel rooms by 2024. 12 projects in the last four years at an estimated cost of RSD 31 million, while it provided about 1,500 jobs in the hospitality sector in 2022, a 49% increase over 2018. He was accompanied by the head of the Royal Hashemite Court, Youssef Hassan Al-Issawi, the Director of His Majesty’s Office, Jaafar Hassan, and the Minister of Tourism and Antiquities, Makram Al-Qaisi.