Tourism Ministry to connect Jerash archaeological park to urban area

AMMAN — The Tourism Ministry is working on a project to link Jerash's archaeological site with the modern city in a bid to extend tourists' stay, Tourism Minister Lina Annab said on Tuesday.

The project aims to give an opportunity to tourists to visit the city centre and lengthen their stay, which would have a positive impact on the city's economy and the local community, Annab told The Jordan Times.

She said that the ministry's efforts to improve the city centre began with the implementation of a project in 2004 that included the rehabilitation of shops and houses' facades in the Shwam neighbourhood and the Eastern Bath's square.

In 2009, another project helped improve the city's roads, pavements, squares and riversides, the minister added.

These projects have laid the groundwork for further organisational measures to create tourism products and services encouraging tourists to include the modern part of the town in their visit, according to Annab, who noted that the ministry has began floating tenders to improve a number of heritage landmarks such as the Roman bridge, Shwam neighbourhood and the Eastern Bath.

The organisational measures, which will be taken in partnership with Jerash Greater Municipality, include removing arbitrary stalls, changing the licences of shops at the baths and the Shwam neighbourhood to be better adapted to touristic purposes, setting standards for the shops' facades and ensuring the cleanliness of the city, the minister said. 

In 2017, the number of visitors reached 250,000, according to the ministry, which stressed that tourists' expenditures are expected to rise with the implementation of the new project.

The local community's economic situation will benefit from such increase, as tourists will have the chance to explore the urban part of the city and get introduced to local foodstuff products and handicrafts.  

According to archaeologists, the modern city of Jerash lies on top of the eastern side of the ancient Roman city, which means that the archaeological park usually visited by tourists is restricted to the western part. 

However, the eastern side offers some surviving Roman monuments, such as the Great Eastern Bath and several attractions from various eras.