Amman, Sept. 5 (Petra) — Experts have stressed the importance of a
project to develop tourism, environmental, and historical sites in
eastern Jordan, aimed at strengthening the region’s presence on the
national tourism map.

Speaking to the Jordan News Agency (Petra), they said the project
would provide visitors and tourists with a distinctive experience
while involving local communities as key partners and direct
beneficiaries of the tourism projects.

Prime Minister Jafar Hassan on Saturday directed the launch of a
project to develop tourism, environmental, and historical sites in
eastern Jordan during an inspection visit to the Blessed Tree (Sahabi
Tree, or the Tree of al-Buqayawiyya) site in Safawi to strengthen the
region’s presence on the national tourism map.

Hassan also directed the restoration of the Northern Al Azraq oasis
wetlands by creating four new ponds modeled on the original oases,
restocking them with native fish species, establishing an
environmental camp to be managed by the Royal Society for the
Conservation of Nature (RSCN), and developing an eco-park for
residents of Azraq as well as tourists and visitors.

He also ordered the restoration of the palm forest near Azraq Castle
and its connection to the water oasis, following the Cabinet’s
approval to expand the Azraq environmental reserve. Some 1,200 palm
trees have already been planted.

RSCN Director General Fadi Al-Nasser said the project represents the
essence of sustainable ecotourism by combining environmental
conservation with a distinctive experience for visitors and tourists
while involving the local community as a key partner and direct
beneficiary of the tourism projects.

He said the prime minister’s visit to the project was particularly
significant, given its role in supporting the development of
ecotourism projects and strengthening their economic and social
dimensions.

Al-Nasser said the RSCN was currently implementing a package of
diverse projects based on integration and networking among them, with
the aim of creating an integrated tourism product that would
encourage visitors to extend their stays.

These efforts, he added, seek to stimulate both domestic and
international tourism, benefiting local residents directly and
indirectly by integrating various economic sectors. Shops,
restaurants, and other service activities are expected to benefit
from the projects, he said.

Al-Nasser said the tourism projects were being linked to several key
sites, including Azraq Castle, Azraq Wetland Reserve, and Shaumari
Wildlife Reserve, as well as other environmental sites.

The initiative also includes the development of new tourism programs
featuring camping and stargazing, which he said would enrich
visitors’ experiences and enhance the area’s appeal.

Osama Hassan, director of the Azraq Tourism Development Project and
head of the RSCN’s Tourism Facilities Development Department, said
the prime minister’s visit was aimed at reviewing progress on the
tourism development project, which the RSCN had been tasked with
implementing and operating.

He said the project included rehabilitating the Northern Azraq oases,
which had dried up since the 1970s, in an effort to restore the
area’s environmental dimension and link it to its tourism and social
development dimensions.

Four water bodies have been established on land adjacent to the
project as part of the expansion designated for the Azraq Wetland
Reserve, Hassan said.

The project will serve as a major hub for launching tourism
activities in Azraq by connecting it with the nature reserves managed
by the RSCN and various tourism sites in the area, in addition to
providing an eco-park serving residents of Azraq and neighboring
areas, he added.

Hassan said the project also includes a visitor center and facilities
for displaying and selling local products, as well as an
environmental park that will provide a recreational space for local
residents and an attraction for visitors from across Jordan.

The park will also cater to tourists visiting archaeological sites,
foremost among them Azraq Castle, he said.

As part of the project, Hassan said work was underway to rehabilitate
the palm forest historically associated with the area’s ancient
oases. About 1,200 palm trees have been planted on the project site,
alongside the construction of tourism and recreational trails
designed to accommodate visitors and organize their movement within
the site.

//Petra// AF