The World Tourism Council carried out an integral evaluation of the sustainability of Petra’s destiny in Jordan.
This evaluation was carried out by experienced experts from the GSTC, who examined compliance with the area with the GSTC destination criteria, a reference point to evaluate sustainable tourist destinations worldwide.
Petra’s sustainability evaluation
The GSTC evaluation framework covers four critical areas of sustainable destinations management: policies and planning, community participation, preservation of cultural heritage and environmental management and natural resources.
Dr. Mihee Kang, evaluator designated by GSTC, together with the support of NastadeM/Ecohotels and the authority of the Petra Tourism and Development Region (PDTRA), carried out an exhaustive review, which ended in the second semester of 2023 .
Dr. Kelly Bricker, an outstanding figure of sustainable tourism, conducted a peer review to guarantee the thoroughness and impartiality of the evaluation. Destination comments were meticulously analyzed before the presentation of the final report of evaluation of sustainable tourism.
Dr. Fares Braizat, Chief Commissioner of Pdtra, expressed a strong commitment to sustainability and considered this evaluation as a crucial step to turn Petra into a leading tourist destination into sustainability. The engineer Hamzeh Al-rayani of Pdtra emphasized continuous collaboration with GSTC to apply the evaluation recommendations and educate the local tourism sector on sustainable practices.
Strategic developments
The Ministry of Tourism and Antiques, together with the PDTRA, has been working with international organizations in Petra’s tourism management and development strategies.
The Japan International Cooperation Agency (JICA) has played a fundamental role in formulating the “Petra Tourism Development Master Plan”. The publication of its first volume marks significant progress not only to boost tourism but also to promote sustainable development within the region.
This evaluation carried out by the GSTC, with the support of JICA, underlines a collective movement towards the excellence of sustainable tourism in Petra.
Petra is one of the New 7 Wonders of the World
Petra is a distinctive seal of ancient architectural brilliance, and once it was the capital of the Nabatean Arabs. Located 240 kilometers south of Amman, it is the jewel of the crown of Jordan and attracts a world visitors. This site shows the ingenuity of the Nabatean Arabs, who more than 2000 years ago sculpted this extraordinary city on the slope of the mountain. Rediscovered in 1812 by the Swiss explorer Johan Ludwig Burckhardt with the support of the Royal British Geographic Society, Petra won the nickname of “The Lost City” because of its centuries of darkness in the western world.
Petra is one of the New 7 Wonders of the World since July 7, 2007, and was also declared a World Heritage by UNESCO in 1985. In this context, it registered a number of visitors that shot 1.1 million in 2019, before pandemia. And, despite a recession during the Covid-19 pandemic, the number of visitors recovered at 905,000 in 2022 and the destination continues in recovery in 2023 and 2024.