You are here

Tourism offers platform for Jordan’s national identity, professor says

By Saeb Rawashdeh - Jul 05,2016 - Last updated at Jul 05,2016

A tourist takes a photo of the Treasury in the ancient city of Petra as he walks through the passageway known as the Siq recently (Photo by Rajive Cherian)

AMMAN — As Jordan celebrates the centennial of the Great Arab Revolt this year, the Kingdom’s national identity can be conveyed through tourism, but it is important to share the right story, said Dr Suleiman Farajat. 

“The past plays a major role in the construction of national identities of modern nation states. One hundred years after the Great Arab Revolt, Petra and the Nabataeans continue to play a significant role in the construction of the Jordanian national identity,” noted Farajat, an assistant professor at the University of Jordan's faculty of tourism and archaeology. 

Petra, one of the New Seven Wonders of the World, is one of the most recognisable symbols of Jordan, with its Nabataean temples and rock-cut architecture.

Farajat pointed out that the Nabatean kingdom was not a mono-ethnic state, but was home to various ethnicities that lived side-by-side. 

“When tourists come to visit Petra they help  give Jordan an international audience and reinforce the positive image the late King Hussein, King Abdullah and Queen Rania have communicated to the whole world,” Farajat stressed.

The role of tourism is to give the “right platform to convey a collective national identity if managed properly”, the specialist in heritage and tourism said, adding that without proper management, tourism may show fragmented identities that contradict the national identity. 

Tourism is an ideal platform to share different stories but sometimes it is not easy to control these narratives, the expert added. 

“Jordan has always attracted tourists from all over the world because of its rich history and archaeology; furthermore, most of its archaeological sites have a religious touch, which makes it more attractive,” Farajat told The Jordan Times in a recent interview.

But, he warned, not all tourists are aware of the Christian sites scattered across the Kingdom.

“Even though several places have been listed by the Vatican as Christian pilgrimage sites, we need to tell the world loudly that Jordan is a holy land and that the rich history and heritage we have is unique,” he underlined.

Supporting local tourism requires adequate infrastructure, and the protection of Jordanian sites is the responsibility of individuals and institutions, Farajat underlined.

He continued: “The Department of Antiquities with its limited budget is doing its best to preserve the huge number of sites; nevertheless, greater awareness among students and local communities is needed in order to better appreciate our heritage and care for it.” 

Jordan has a unique experience to offer tourists, and no country can compete with attractions like Petra, the Dead Sea, the Baptism Site and Wadi Rum.

But Farajat noted that attractions alone are not enough to appeal to tourists. Destinations need accessibility, infrastructure, amenities, service culture and, most importantly, the right advertising in order to win a share in the international tourism marketplace.

“There are thousands of destinations worldwide and they all compete. We have to convince the tourists and tell them why they should come to Jordan and not other places,” Farajat explained.

The level of involvement of local communities varies and often depends on how much locals profit from tourism, he highlighted, adding that “we should move from the idea that the sites are for the locals and make the locals think for the site”. 

Farajat, who sees the private sector as a main catalyst for innovations and creativity in the Jordanian tourist field, said the role of the government should be to stimulate tourism and treat it as an industry. 

Special attention should be given to the so-called “Golden Triangle” of Aqaba, Wadi Rum and Petra, he said.

“No one can deny that political instability in the region has negatively impacted tourism in Jordan, but Jordan can do better in telling the world that we are safe,” Farajat elaborated.

According to the scholar, Aqaba, Petra, Wadi Rum, the Baptism Site, Madaba and the Dead Sea should be promoted as a single brand “with cooperation between Jordanian tour operators and neighbouring countries”.

 

“I am optimistic and follow up tourism development in Jordan as a whole and in Petra as my hometown in particular. I want to do whatever possible to support it, as I can see the recent positive changes and need for cooperation in Jordanian tourism.”

up
51 users have voted.


Newsletter

Get top stories and blog posts emailed to you each day.

PDF