AMMAN -- Visitors and citizens seeking a new place to unwind or in search of fresh adventure can look forward to a new tourist resort slated for development in the heart of Wadi Rum.
The JD10 million environmentally-friendly resort, being developed by Al Najwa for Tourist and Investment Company (NTIC), was announced during an official agreement with the Aqaba Special Economic Zone Authority (ASEZA) this week.
The resort, to be built on 3,000 dunums of land, will include a 60-room hotel, villas, a central restaurant and a range of eateries and recreational facilities all nestled amid the scenic mountains of Wadi Rum. The project is expected to begin at the end of 2009.
NTIC Chairman Serene Al Masri, whose idea for the project was inspired by her passion for the area's desert landscape, said the resort is designed to capture the essence of the desert and provide a new experience for visitors.
"This project is a key initiative for this area," Masri said. "We hope by establishing it we'll attract larger visitor numbers to this area."
The area is already one of Jordan's most important tourist destinations, with around 15,000 tourists, mostly Americans and Europeans, visiting each year.
Popular activities in the desert environment include camping under the stars, riding Arabian horses, hiking and rock climbing. Jabal Rum (1,754 metres above sea level) is the highest peak in the area, and the second-highest peak in Jordan.
While many tourists visit in search of adventure, the landscape and spectacular sunsets also attract visitors looking to relax and watch the desert skies turn into mesmerising hues of purple, blue, red, orange and yellow.
But although over recent years Wadi Rum has become more tourism focused and has a modern visitors' centre, the area's facilities remain restricted to camping and bed and breakfast.
ASEZA Chief Commissioner Nader Al Dahabi said there has been a lot of interest from investors over the years, but the authority is keen to ensure that they serve the industry as a whole and meet environmental regulations.
Dahabi said the authority's master plan has allocated 50 per cent of space in the zone for tourism investments, while 30 per cent has been allocated for services and the remainder for industry.
"We have been working continuously to attract investments to the area, no matter what their size, and are keen to ensure these serve both the sector and the local communities," said Dahabi.
"This project has a lot of potential in increasing the visitor flow to Wadi Rum as well as enhancing economic benefits to the local community," he added.
NTIC is determined that the resort, which is being developed outside the Wadi Rum Protected Reserve, fits in with the surrounding landscape, according to NTIC Vice Chairman Kamil Saadeldin.
The official said a "year's worth of efforts" have been undertaken with the help of local architects, engineers and environmental experts to achieve this goal.
Saadeldin said the resort would reinforce Wadi Rum's position on the global tourism map.
"The hotel rooms may be limited but the project as a whole is expected to generate many benefits for both for visitors and local communities through the services it will create," he said Saadeldin.
"Details regarding these will be clearer once plans for the project have been finalised," he added.
Currently, marketing efforts are focused on what is called the "Golden Triangle," which includes Petra and neighbouring Aqaba. People coming to one of these areas, almost always visit the others.
Al Masri's father, leading Jordanian investor Sabih Al Masri, who attended the signing ceremony, said the project would create much needed employment opportunities.
"It is a true example of engaging the local community with these projects," he added.
By Dalya Dajani
© Jordan Times 2007
