As Jordan prepares to mark two thousand years since the baptism of Jesus Christ in 2030, attention is turning to Al-Maghtas, the Baptism Site on the eastern bank of the Jordan River.
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The anniversary is expected to draw significant international religious and tourism interest, creating an opportunity for Jordan to strengthen its position as a major destination for Christian pilgrimage.
But the challenge goes beyond attracting visitors for a single event. Officials are working to turn the 2030 commemoration into a long-term boost for religious tourism, hospitality and local development, while linking the Baptism Site with Jordan’s wider network of biblical, archaeological and historical destinations.
Preparations are already underway. Plans include upgrading infrastructure, training guides and hospitality workers, expanding international promotion and creating a more unified narrative around Jordan’s religious and historical heritage.
At the same time, authorities say development must not come at the expense of the site’s spiritual character, archaeological importance or natural environment. The aim is for 2030 to become the foundation for sustainable religious tourism rather than a one-off celebration.
Royal Support and National Preparations
King Abdullah II has directed the government to support preparations for the 2030 commemoration following an initiative proposed by the Council of Church Leaders in Jordan.
The plans include preparing the Baptism Site and surrounding areas to receive potentially millions of pilgrims and visitors, while developing transport links, tourism routes and accommodation and service facilities.
The focus, officials say, is on expanding capacity without compromising the site’s natural setting, spiritual atmosphere or archaeological significance.
Several major projects have already been completed at or around the site, including the International Orthodox University of the Baptism Site and the Latin Church of the Baptism of Christ, alongside churches representing a number of Christian denominations.
Jordan is also preparing an international promotional campaign supported by digital platforms that will connect Al-Maghtas with 34 other archaeological and religious sites across the country.
These include Mount Nebo, Madaba and Mukawir, with the aim of developing a more complete Christian pilgrimage route rather than treating the Baptism Site as an isolated destination.
Jordanian authorities are also coordinating with the Vatican, Orthodox patriarchates, Protestant churches and other religious institutions around the world to encourage pilgrims to include Jordan in their itineraries.
Prime Minister Dr. Jaafar Hassan recently chaired the first meeting of a high-level national committee overseeing preparations for 2030. He called for work to begin immediately and stressed the need for a comprehensive plan with a clear timetable.
Hassan said the anniversary reflects Jordan’s religious, historical and international importance, while also highlighting the kingdom’s wider message of coexistence, tolerance and interfaith cooperation.
The government is expected to allocate significant resources to the initiative, viewing 2030 as an opportunity to strengthen Jordan’s identity as a land of biblical significance and a global destination for Christian pilgrims.
Development Plans Through 2030
Abdullah Al-Bawardi, director general of the Baptism Site Authority, said the authority’s strategy through 2030 is focused on strengthening Jordan’s position in the religious tourism market.
The strategy includes developing religious sites and services, improving infrastructure, increasing visitor numbers and encouraging pilgrims to spend more time in the country.
Officials believe longer stays would generate greater economic value through accommodation, transport, restaurants, guiding services and local businesses.
The strategy also places strong emphasis on protecting religious, heritage and environmental assets, particularly at the Baptism Site itself.
Several projects have already been completed this year, including new religious trails at Wadi Al-Kharrar and the Spring of John, improvements to visitor facilities, new directional signage and restoration work on historic churches and mosaic floors in cooperation with the Department of Antiquities.
A Christian cemetery and its access road have also been completed, while a new website allows visitors to book tickets and access information online.
Plans running from 2026 to 2030 will focus on further infrastructure and logistics improvements, upgraded pathways and public spaces, additional interpretive signage and continued restoration of baptismal pools and archaeological structures.
The authority says the expected rise in visitor numbers will be managed through better crowd control, trained staff and guides, and improved movement around the site.
The objective is not simply to accommodate the largest possible number of visitors, but to manage tourism in a way that protects the site over the long term. Preparations are being coordinated with Jordanian authorities, church leaders, the Vatican and the Latin Patriarchate.
Al-Bawardi said the authority is also committed to maintaining UNESCO standards, including environmental and archaeological impact assessments, protecting natural and spiritual landscapes and ensuring that new facilities are located outside sensitive archaeological areas.
The Economic Opportunity
The 2030 anniversary is expected to have an impact well beyond religious tourism.
Officials believe a larger flow of pilgrims could increase spending on hotels, transport, restaurants, tour guides, local crafts and other services, while creating new employment opportunities for surrounding communities.
A marketing campaign being developed with the Jordan Tourism Board will promote the Baptism Site internationally through digital platforms, exhibitions and partnerships with tour operators, pilgrimage organizations and churches abroad.
Authorities also hope the occasion will present Jordan internationally as a model of coexistence and interfaith dialogue, while highlighting the Hashemite role in protecting religious sites.
$120 Million in Development Around Al-Maghtas
A major part of the preparations is a development programme covering land surrounding the Baptism Site.
Tharwat Al-Masalha, chairman of the Baptism Site Development Corporation’s board of trustees, said agreements signed this week mark an important step toward creating a destination that reflects the sanctity of the site while also representing Jordan’s wider message of peace and moderation.
The corporation is responsible for around 1,400 dunams of land next to Al-Maghtas. Projects covered by the agreements are worth around $120 million and include a $50 million museum dedicated to the baptism of Jesus Christ, approximately $40 million in design work for a pilgrim and visitor village, $27 million in infrastructure projects and a $3 million green corridor.
The broader aim is to improve the visitor experience while maintaining the identity and spiritual character of the area.
More Than a Tourism Anniversary
Father Dr. Rifat Bader, director of the Catholic Center for Studies and Media, said the importance of 2030 extends beyond tourism and infrastructure. He described the anniversary as an opportunity to reflect on the spiritual meaning of baptism, while reinforcing values of unity and mutual understanding.
Bader compared the occasion with the Great Jubilee of 2000, when Christians marked two thousand years since the birth of Christ and Pope John Paul II began his pilgrimage to the Holy Land in Jordan, including a visit to the site of Jesus’s baptism.
Al-Maghtas, also known as Bethany Beyond the Jordan, holds a unique place in Christian history.
Located along Wadi Al-Kharrar on the eastern bank of the Jordan River, the site is associated with John the Baptist and the baptism of Jesus, an event regarded as the beginning of Christ’s public ministry.
The location has been recognized by leaders of the Catholic, Orthodox and Anglican churches and has been visited by four popes.
The site was added to the UNESCO World Heritage List in 2015, recognising its archaeological remains, including churches and baptismal pools dating back to the Byzantine and Roman periods.
Its religious significance is also linked to biblical figures including Elijah and Joshua. Bader said the site’s importance rests not only in its archaeological heritage, but in its connection to one of the most important moments in Christian history.
Promotion Must Begin Early
Bader argued that infrastructure alone will not determine the success of 2030.
International promotion, he said, needs to begin years in advance so that churches, religious institutions, tourism companies and pilgrimage organizations around the world have enough time to include Jordan in their future programs.
Jordan already receives hundreds of thousands of pilgrims each year, but preparing for visitors in the millions will require a much broader level of coordination. That means working closely with the Holy See, as well as Orthodox, Evangelical and other Christian denominations, because baptism is shared across Christian traditions.
Bader proposed establishing an ambassador initiative involving Jordanian, church and international figures who could help connect Jordan with churches and religious organizations abroad.These ambassadors could encourage dioceses, pilgrimage organizations and tour operators to include Jordan in their future programs.
He also said the anniversary carries wider diplomatic significance for Jordan.
Beyond religious tourism, the event offers the kingdom an opportunity to highlight its tradition of Muslim-Christian coexistence, its custodianship of religious sites and its reputation for stability in a region that has faced repeated periods of conflict.
For pilgrims choosing a destination, Bader said security remains one of Jordan’s strongest advantages. An increase in visitor numbers could also benefit the aviation, hospitality, transport and retail sectors.
Expanding accommodation near Al-Maghtas could encourage pilgrims to stay overnight or for several days, instead of visiting the site for only a few hours, increasing the economic value of each visit.
Beyond the Baptism Site
Jordan’s Christian pilgrimage offering extends far beyond Al-Maghtas.
The country’s recognized pilgrimage route includes Mount Nebo, traditionally believed to be the location from which Moses viewed the Promised Land, and St. George’s Church in Madaba, home to the sixth-century Madaba Mosaic Map.
It also includes the Latin Church of Anjara near Ajloun, associated with a resting place of Jesus, Mary and the disciples, as well as Umm ar-Rasas, a UNESCO World Heritage Site containing the remains of 16 churches, including the Church of St. Stephen and its preserved mosaic floor. Bader said trained guides will be just as important to the visitor experience as roads, hotels and other infrastructure.
Guides need a strong understanding of biblical history and Jordan’s religious heritage, as well as the ability to communicate that history clearly to visitors from different backgrounds.They are often the people who shape a pilgrim’s understanding of the country and its history.
Jordan must also develop a consistent national narrative around its Christian heritage, translated into major international languages.The aim, Bader said, should be to show visitors that Jordan’s connection to Christianity is deeply rooted in its history rather than presenting the pilgrimage route as a modern tourism product.
Protecting the Spiritual Experience
Environmental protection will also play an important role in the preparations, particularly around the Jordan River.
Bader stressed the need to improve environmental conditions and water quality, noting that pilgrims come to the site primarily for prayer and spiritual reflection rather than conventional sightseeing.
For that reason, he warned against allowing visitor numbers and commercial development to overshadow the religious meaning of the site. The success of 2030, he argued, should not be measured only by how many people arrive, but by whether Jordan can preserve the experience that makes Al-Maghtas significant in the first place.
Regional instability has affected tourism and pilgrimage numbers to Jordan in recent years despite the kingdom’s own security. Bader said he hopes conditions across the region will become more stable in the coming years, allowing Jordan to welcome the number of pilgrims it is preparing for in 2030.
For Jordan, the jubilee represents more than a major religious anniversary. It is an opportunity to strengthen the country’s position in global Christian pilgrimage, develop its tourism economy and connect visitors with a wider network of biblical and historical sites across the kingdom.
The challenge now is to ensure that the investment, infrastructure and international attention surrounding 2030 leave something lasting behind.
Words by Habes Al-Adwan
