AMMAN –
Minister of Tourism and Antiquities Nayef Al-Fayez said that the site of Afra Hot Springs in the
Tafileh governorate is now included in the ministry’s national tourism program
and will be part of its promotion strategies for this year.
اضافة اعلان
The aim is to revive tourism at the site,
which was closed for most of 2021.
According to Fayez, the government issued,
during the pandemic, a tender for local investors and organizations to bid to
manage Afra Hot Springs. A local organization, The Sons of Dana and
Al-Qadisiyah Tourist Association, won the tender and it is now solely managing
the tourist site.
Ministry of Tourism spokesperson Ahmad Rifai
told
Jordan News that “Afra has undergone some construction during its closure,
to improve the setting for future visitors, and the ministry highly values the
success of this site, alongside numerous other sites. I am not sure exactly how
much the construction has cost the ministry, but the process is now finished
and ready to host visitors once again. The winner of the tender will surely
create jobs in this area, as well.”
According to Rifai, Afra can be promoted
through social media platforms and local tourism offices and agencies.
President of The Sons of Dana and Al
Qadisiyah Tourist Association Amer Khawaldeh told
Jordan News that “our
organization’s successful attempt at winning the tender means that we will
manage Al Afra Hot Springs for the coming five years, and if comply with the
ministry’s guidelines, it is possible for us to extend our time with this
tourist site for a few more years. This place has great significance; it can
come under the umbrella of medical tourism as studies have shown that the
waters of Afra have benefits for the skin and the nerves”.
Tourists at Afra sleep mainly in chalets, as
there are no hotels in the area.
According to Khawaldeh, the Ministry of
Tourism “is adamant that the entry fee to Afra not exceed JD1, and in order to
meet our monthly expenses, our organization aims to host between 250 and 500
visitors a month, which we consider an ideal range”.
After months of being shut down, the site
opened in December 2021, and “welcomed more than 500 visitors that month, which
is promising,” he said.
“We are not aiming to raise the entry fee, we
are aiming to raise the number of visitors per month, and this can be done by
creating new, unique, services, as well as by better promoting the site.”
Most December visitors to Afra were local citizens,
Khawaldeh said, but there were also foreigners, “and people from all
backgrounds are welcome to the site”. Tourism season in this southern region
usually starts on March 15 and ends some time during June, before starting once
again during August, until December, said Khawaldeh.
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