Just a short distance from the bustle of the ancient city of Jerash, the Birkatain archaeological site stands as a testament to a unique Roman water and leisure complex that once formed a cornerstone of daily life.
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Yet this historic site continues to search for its missing role in the modern tourism landscape. Repeated investment attempts have failed to turn it into an active, sustainable tourism attraction, leaving it closed and underutilized. Official authorities say plans to offer the site for investment remain in place following the termination of the latest investor’s contract.
A reality marked by contradiction and repeated proposals
The situation on the ground at Birkatain reveals a clear contradiction. Although the site should add value to Jerash’s tourism offerings and diversify the visitor experience beyond the traditional tour of the ancient city, it remains outside the active tourism sector.
This comes as official tourism development plans emphasize the need to extend visitors’ stays, connect the governorate’s landmarks through integrated routes, and empower local communities.
Sources at the Jerash Tourism Directorate explain that the site has been offered for investment on several occasions to various investors. However, the proposals and projects submitted lacked the financial viability needed to sustain operations, preventing the site from reaching a stage of sustainable operation despite its archaeological value.
The sources add that the main problem is not a lack of official interest. Repeated attempts have been made to attract an investor, but the challenge lies in securing a balanced, sustainable investment proposal one that achieves the difficult equation of preserving the site’s archaeological value while transforming it into an appealing tourism attraction that generates a viable economic return for both the investor and the local community.
In 2023, the Ministry of Tourism and Antiquities issued a tender for the rehabilitation, management and operation of the area surrounding the site. Individuals, companies, institutions, for-profit and nonprofit associations, and tourism cooperatives were invited to apply.
These steps confirm that the investment concept is not new but has been under consideration for years, with official authorities repeatedly seeking an operational model that would restore the site’s presence.
Closure compounds the losses
Experts explain that Birkatain, located on the road leading to Souf Camp, contains two main water basins that supplied the ancient city through a complex network of pipes, in addition to a small Roman theatre, according to the site’s official description.
Local and archaeological sources highlight the area’s importance as an integral part of Jerash’s Roman water network and infrastructure, giving it considerable historical and tourism significance within the governorate.
Despite these assets and its archaeological importance, the site has failed to establish itself as an independent tourism destination. All investment attempts have encountered difficulties, with the latest contract terminated at the investor’s own request. This has left the Ministry of Tourism and Antiquities back at square one, searching for a new investment opportunity.
Tourism expert and former Jerash Governorate Council member Dr. Yousef Zu’biqat believes Birkatain holds significant tourism and archaeological value and requires a different approach, as it has the potential to make a distinctive contribution rather than remain merely a closed archaeological site.
Zu’biqat stresses the importance of clearly incorporating Birkatain into tourism maps and providing essential visitor services so that it becomes a meaningful part of the tourist experience. He notes that the Roman theatre and water structures give the site rich potential for developing a different kind of experience.
He warns that leaving the site neglected for decades exposes it to deterioration and damage while depriving the tourism sector and local community of its benefits. Closure, he says, compounds the losses: archaeological sites need not only protection from vandalism but also efforts to showcase their historical value to visitors.
He calls on the relevant authorities to adopt an integrated vision encompassing rehabilitation, facilities, investment and marketing, enabling the site to play its role within the main tourism routes.
Decisive practical measures
Activists believe that establishing a tourism route linking the modern city with the ancient city requires decisive practical measures to improve the visitor experience and extend stays in the governorate, while encouraging investment and empowering local communities.
Social activist and tourism observer Hisham Al-Banna explains that the site needs a fundamental solution to its recurring investment difficulties. Authorities should not simply reissue investment opportunities periodically without addressing the obstacles facing investors.
He emphasizes the need to streamline procedures and provide support and coordination among the relevant parties. Working at an archaeological site differs from operating in an ordinary commercial area because of the strict requirements for protecting antiquities. In return, the project needs infrastructure, marketing and visitor traffic to ensure its continuity.
Al-Banna adds that the success of any investment initiative requires a genuine partnership among the public sector, the investor and the local community. Such cooperation could benefit surrounding areas by creating jobs and stimulating the local economy.
The goal, he says, should not simply be to find an investor, but to establish a viable investment model backed by a serious marketing plan and linked to organized tour groups and approved tourism routes. Infrastructure, water supplies and archaeological maintenance must also be managed carefully.
Activist Nasr Al-Atoum stresses that investment should not come at the expense of archaeological value; rather, it should serve as a means of protecting and showcasing it. He also highlights the importance of clearly defining the respective responsibilities of investors, the Ministry of Tourism and the Department of Antiquities in future plans.
He adds that the site needs a comprehensive tourism project that begins with protection and rehabilitation and the provision of services, then proceeds to its actual inclusion in tourism programs and routes. This should be supported by updated feasibility studies defining the proposed project, the expected investment requirements and the government support available, while drawing lessons from previous investment attempts.
Al-Atoum notes that Birkatain exemplifies historic sites seeking a delicate balance between preservation and development. Its continued exclusion from active tourism represents a deferred opportunity that, if properly developed, could offer visitors a new attraction, open up local investment opportunities and create jobs that stimulate Jerash’s economy.
Resource: Al-Ghad. Reporting: Sabreen Al-Tuaimat
