Prime Minister Jafar Hassan visited on Saturday the “Blessed Tree” area in Al-Safawi and the Azraq Oasis Reserve revitalization project, directing the launch of a project to develop tourism, environmental and historical sites in eastern Jordan to strengthen their presence on the national tourism map.
The project is part of government efforts to develop Jordan’s national tourism product and maximize the benefits of the Kingdom’s unique natural and environmental diversity, as well as its historical, archaeological, religious and cultural assets. It aims to enrich tourists’ experiences, develop local communities and strengthen the tourism sector’s contribution to the national economy and governorates.
The tourism-site development project in eastern Jordan includes the Shaumari Wildlife Reserve, the Dahak Nature Reserve in the northeastern Badia, Qasr Amra, Qasr Al-Kharana, Azraq Castle, the Azraq Wetland Reserve, the Azraq Oasis revitalization project through the Royal Society for the Conservation of Nature, and the “Blessed Tree” area in Al-Safawi.
The project aims to establish an integrated tourism destination in eastern Jordan, linking the oasis, natural and environmental reserves, desert castles, and historical, religious and geological sites through new and integrated tourism routes and experiences.
Tourism sites in eastern Jordan have received international attention for decades because of their heritage value. This is reflected in the listing of Qasr Amra as a UNESCO World Heritage Site since 1985; Azraq’s inclusion in 2007 on the UNESCO Tentative List as a mixed site of natural and cultural value; “Azraq Al-Shamali Village” being named among the world’s Best Tourism Villages for 2025; and the Azraq Oasis being recognized as the first wetland reserve under the Ramsar Convention in the Arab world and the 13th globally.
The development of tourism sites in eastern Jordan comes as the government continues implementing other tourism development projects across the Kingdom. These include the Jerash Ecotourism Village project, the rehabilitation and development of the archaeological site of Umm Qais and Tell Irbid in northern Jordan, the Yarmouk Ecotourism Project and Barakat Al-Araes, as well as tourism development projects in Karak, including the cable car and other projects in southern Jordan, such as Wadi Bin Hammad, Al-Baraka site, Karak Gateway, and the development of Al-Qatrana archaeological castle, which has been fully completed. Work is also continuing on procedures to implement the Amman cable car project.
The prime minister was accompanied on the visit by Minister of Public Works and Housing Maher Abu Al-Samin and several officials.
