Jordanian awarded in Germany for research on tourism effect on Petra community

AMMAN — A Jordanian scholar has won the best research award at a German university.

On December 5, the Catholic University of Eichstaett-Ingolstadt granted the award certificate to Jordanian researcher Sami Hasanat, who holds a PhD in natural sciences, for his research on the social and political impact of tourism in the ancient city of Petra.

Hasanat, who is a former MP of Petra District, told The Jordan Times that his research, titled “tourism, politics and social change in Petra region, Jordan 1994-2014”, aims at raising the world’s awareness towards the cultural consequences of tourism on local communities.

“The goal of the work presented here is to capture a community at a time of critical transition in its social, cultural, political and economic lives — all of which are entangled almost inextricably with tourism,” Hasanat said.

The research explores the most important negative impacts of tourism on local communities and ways to find solutions, as well as the variations in how residents see tourism with its positive or negative influences, he explained.

Hasanat stressed that the study exposes “a real crisis in the region”, some 235km south of Amman, as a result of neglect by successive governments in terms of employment opportunities and providing social welfare.

Currently, Hasanat is a lecturer at Al Hussein Bin Talal University and a licensed general tourist guide.