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AMMAN — A group of 23 students from Yarmouk University has launched a campaign to activate the tourism trail of Irbid's Mazar region, aiming to place the trail as a main attraction on the country's tourism map, a campaign member said on Wednesday.
Improving the trail will increase the number of foreign and local tourists and create jobs for the local community, said Ahmad Hazaimeh, a member of the campaign.
The process requires the rehabilitation of the historical Samad village, including its ancient houses, churches and caves, according to the campaigner, who noted that some of the houses can be renovated to become public facilities such as souvenir shops or restaurants.
The project also needs to renovate roads and add traffic signs to facilitate reaching the village, he continued.
Samad, 20 km west of Irbid, can also be used by archaeology colleges for training and exploration visits for their students, Hazaimeh suggested.
The campaign's launching ceremony, held at Samad, was attended by Irbid Tourism Director Mashael Khasawneh, members of Irbid Governorate council's tourism committee, officials from Mazar Municipality and Samad local council, in addition to locals.
In her speech at the ceremony, Khasaweneh said: "Samad is one of Irbid's most important heritage landmarks for its rich history,” stressing keenness on supporting the campaign and working on improving the trail to attract more visitors to Mazar and Samad.
In addition to its Ottoman-era houses, the village of Samad consists of several ancient sites such a Byzantine church, a mosque, a Roman cistern and a number of caves and wells, according to the campaigners.
Samad's population is composed of Muslims and Christians, who have been living in harmony for centuries, sharing traditions and celebrating holidays together, the campaign members said.