Tuesday, April 2, 2024
Between May and August 2023, the Global Sustainable Tourism Council (GSTC) undertook a comprehensive evaluation of Petra in Jordan. This evaluation was carried out by seasoned experts from the GSTC, who scrutinized the area’s adherence to the GSTC Destination Criteria, a benchmark for evaluating sustainable tourism destinations worldwide.
Petra at a Glance
Petra stands as a hallmark of ancient architectural brilliance, once serving as the capital of the Nabataean Arabs. Situated 240 kilometers south of Amman, it is Jordan’s crown jewel, attracting a global audience of visitors. This site showcases the ingenuity of the Nabataean Arabs, who over 2,000 years ago, sculpted this extraordinary city into the mountainside. Rediscovered in 1812 by Swiss explorer Johan Ludwig Burckhardt with the backing of the British Royal Geographical Society, Petra earned the moniker “The Lost City” due to its centuries of obscurity from the Western world. A UNESCO World Heritage Site since 1985, Petra saw visitor numbers soar to 1.1 million in 2019. Despite a downturn during the COVID-19 pandemic, visitor numbers rebounded to 905,000 in 2022.
Evaluating Petra’s Sustainability
The GSTC’s assessment framework encompasses four critical areas of sustainable destination management: policies and planning, community involvement, preservation of cultural heritage, and environmental and natural resource stewardship.
Dr. Mihee Kang, a GSTC-appointed assessor, alongside the support of Nastadeem/EcoHotels and the Petra Development & Tourism Region Authority (PDTRA), conducted a thorough review. This involved a six-day field visit and discussions with key local authorities and stakeholders, beginning with an introductory workshop on May 21, 2023.
Dr. Kelly Bricker, a prominent figure in sustainable tourism, provided a peer review to ensure the evaluation’s thoroughness and impartiality. The feedback from the destination was meticulously analyzed before the submission of the final sustainable tourism assessment report.
Dr. Fares Braizat, PDTRA’s Chief Commissioner, expressed a strong commitment to sustainability, viewing this assessment as a crucial step in evolving Petra into a leading sustainable tourism destination. Eng Hamzeh Al-Alayani from the PDTRA emphasized the ongoing collaboration with the GSTC to apply the assessment’s recommendations and educate the local tourism sector on sustainable practices.
Strategic Developments
The Ministry of Tourism and Antiquities, alongside the PDTRA, has been working with international organizations like UNESCO and USAID on Petra’s tourism development and management strategies.
The Japan International Cooperation Agency (JICA) has played a pivotal role, formulating the ‘Petra Tourism Development Master Plan’. The publication of its first volume in February 2022 marks a significant progress in not only boosting tourism but also in fostering sustainable development within the region. This assessment by the GSTC, supported by JICA, underscores a collective move towards sustainable tourism excellence in Petra.
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Tags: Global Sustainable Tourism Council (GSTC), petra
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