Safawi, Azraq, Sept. 5 (Petra) — Prime Minister Jafar Hassan on
Saturday visited the “Blessed Tree” site in Safawi and the
Restoration of the Al Azraq Oasis Wetlands Project as part of his
field inspection tours of the Kingdom’s governorates.

Hassan directed the launch of a project to develop tourism,
environmental, and historical sites in eastern Jordan, aiming to
strengthen their presence on the national tourism map.

The prime minister was briefed on the project, which forms part of
government efforts to develop the national tourism product and make
the most of the Kingdom’s unique natural and environmental diversity,
as well as its wealth of historical, archaeological, religious, and
cultural assets. The initiative aims to enrich visitors’ experiences,
develop local communities, and strengthen the tourism sector’s
contribution to the national economy and economic activity in the
governorates.

The project to develop tourism sites in eastern Jordan covers the
Shaumari Wildlife Reserve, the Al-Dahek Nature Reserve in the
northeastern Badia, Qasr Amra, Qasr Kharana and Azraq Castle, in
addition to the Azraq Wetland Reserve, the Restoration of the Al
Azraq Oasis Wetlands being implemented by the Royal Society for the
Conservation of Nature (RSCN), and the “Blessed Tree” area in Safawi.

The project aims to establish an integrated tourism destination in
eastern Jordan, linking the oasis, natural and environmental
reserves, desert castles, and historical, religious, and geological
sites through new and integrated tourism routes and experiences.

Developing tourism sites in eastern Jordan will contribute to
expanding and increasing tourism routes across the Kingdom and
turning them into opportunities for development and investment,
thereby supporting the development impact and benefiting local
communities.

At the Azraq Reserve, the northern Azraq oases have been revived
through the construction of four new pools designed to resemble the
original oases naturally. Native fish species will be reintroduced,
while an environmental camp managed by the Royal Society for the
Conservation of Nature will be established, along with an ecological
park for Azraq residents, tourists, and visitors. The park will host
various recreational activities and arts and crafts within the
reserve.

The project also includes reviving the palm forest in the castle area
and connecting it to the wetland oasis, following the Cabinet’s
approval to expand the environmental reserve in Azraq. Some 1,200
palm trees have been planted, and the Royal Society for the
Conservation of Nature has been tasked with developing and managing
the tourism and development project.

The government adopted the Restoration of the Al Azraq Oasis Wetlands
project based on the comprehensive plan for the town of Azraq drawn
up in 2015, which was recently approved and implemented by the
government. The plan also includes expanding and preparing
industrial, handicraft, and commercial opportunities in Azraq and
expanding the ecotourism product to provide income and employment
opportunities for local residents, whose population exceeds 15,000.
The project is expected to open to visitors before the end of next
March.

The government will renovate the road leading to the “Blessed Tree”
to facilitate access for tourists and visitors and provide the site
with essential services.

The government has also illuminated all the desert castles at night
to make them more attractive to travelers, particularly as they are
located along the Omari-Saudi Arabia route.

Tourism sites in eastern Jordan have attracted international
attention for decades because of their heritage value. Qasr Amra has
been listed as a UNESCO World Heritage Site since 1985, while Azraq
was added to the UNESCO Tentative List in 2007 as a mixed site of
natural and cultural value. “Northern Azraq Village” was named among
the world’s best tourism villages in 2025, while Azraq Oasis is
considered the first wetland reserve in the Arab world and the 13th
globally to be designated under the Ramsar Convention.

The development of tourism sites in eastern Jordan comes as the
government continues to implement other tourism development projects
across the kingdom. These include the Jerash Eco-Tourism Village
project; the rehabilitation and development of the archaeological
site of Umm Qais and Tell Irbid in northern Jordan; the Yarmouk
Eco-Tourism Project and Al-Araies Pool; and tourism development
projects in Karak, including the cable car project.

Other projects in southern Jordan include Wadi Bin Hammad, the
Al-Baraka site, and the Karak Gate, as well as the fully completed
development of the archaeological Qatrana Castle. Work is also
continuing on procedures to implement the Amman Cable Car project.

Hassan was accompanied on the visit by Minister of Public Works and
Housing Maher Abul Samen and a number of officials.

//Petra// AF