The Strategic Master Plan for the Petra Region

The Strategic Master Plan For the Petra Region

Strategic Plan for WADI MUSA and surrounding areas

June 2011

Contracting Authority:

The Petra Development and Tourism Region Authority Attn.: Mr. Mohammed Farajat Project Administrator Procurement Division Wadi Musa, Jordan Tel +962 (3) 2157093

Contractor: ATC Consultants GmbH Seilerstaette 7/4, A-1010 Vienna, Austria Tel +43 (0) 126371170 Fax +43 (0) 126371177 Email: [email protected] www.atc-consultants.com

In Association with DesignWorkshop and JCP s.r.l

June 2011

Page 2 of 61 TABLE OF CONTENTS

ABOUT THE PREPARATION OF THE MASTER PLAN ...... 5 IMPORTANCE OF THE PAP FOR THE PETRA REGION ...... 7 OVERVIEW OF THE PETRA REGION ...... 10 OVERALL VISION FOR THE PETRA REGION ...... 11 WADI MUSA IN THE CONTEXT OF THE PETRA REGION ...... 12 LAND SENSITIVITY ANALYSES ...... 14 SWOT ANALYSIS OF WADI MUSA ...... 18 WADI MUSA: A VISION FOR A BETTER FUTURE ...... 21 TOURISM ACTIVITIES ...... 23 TOWN TOURIST CENTER, MAIN SQUARE AND MUSEUM ...... 25 WADI REVITALIZATION ...... 27 HANDICRAFT AND SOUVENIR SOUQ ...... 29 MULTI-PURPOSE ENTERTAINMENT & CONFERENCE CENTER ...... 31 HIGH END CONFERENCE AND RESORT HOTEL ...... 33 SPECIAL EVENTS AND FESTIVALS ...... 35 HOTEL DISTRICT IN DOWN TOWN WADI MUSA ...... 36 OTHER ECONOMIC ACTIVITIES ...... 37 DEVELOPMENT OF RESIDENTIAL NEIGHBORHOOD ...... 39 TRAFFIC AND TRANSPORTATION ...... 40 PUBLIC TRANSPORTATION ...... 42 PUBLIC FACILITIES AND SERVICES ...... 46 SOCIAL ISSUES ...... 48 WATER - WASTEWATER TREATMENT & RAINFALL FLOODS .. 51 ENERGY MANAGEMENT ...... 55 ENVIRONMENT ...... 56 PETRA ARCHAEOLOGICAL PARK ...... 59 LIST OF ABBREVIATIONS ...... 61

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Page 4 of 61 ABOUT THE PREPARATION OF THE MASTER PLAN Overall objective The overall objective of the project is to provide the Petra Develop- ment and Tourism Region Authority (PDTRA) with a Strategic Master Plan that guides planned development of the Petra Region in an efficient, balanced and sustainable way over the next 20 years for the benefit of the local population and of Jordan in general. Special consideration is required for protecting the globally significant Petra Archaeological Park, which lies completely within the area governed by PDTRA.

Project Duration 11 months (July 2010 – June 2011)

Process The process of developing the Strategic Master Plan for the Petra Region incorporated a diagnostic phase, including stakeholder inter- views and workshops. The findings of this initial phase were the basis for the elaboration of the “detailed analysis, scenarios and strategy, including guidelines and regulations to encourage private investment while protecting the park” for the entire Petra Region. Be- fore starting the final elaboration phase of the Strategic Master Plan workshops took place to present and discuss the intermediate results with the population of the Petra Region.

In addition to the general report for the Petra Region, individual re- ports for each of the six communities located within the region have been prepared presenting balanced, well focused, efficient and sustainable “Selected Strategic Area Plans” taking into account the cha- racteristics of each of the communities.

Page 5 of 61 Page 6 of 61 IMPORTANCE OF THE PAP FOR THE PETRA REGION The Petra Region’s most important aspect for the economic as well as the social development is the tourism sector, in which the Petra Archaeological Park (PAP), one of the world’s richest and largest archaeological parks, plays a major role. The dramatic rock-cut tem- ples and tombs as well as the water collection, distribution and storage system of the Nabataeans represent unique artistic and technical achievements. Due to its outstanding universal value, Petra became a UNESCO World Heritage site in 1985. In 2007, the world public elected Petra as one of the “Seven Wonders of the World”, which is an excellent indicator for the dramatic rise in popularity of the site. The Cultural Space of the Bedu was inscribed in 2008 on the UNESCO Intangible Cultural Heritage List of Humanity.

In 2010, the total visitor number of PAP has reached more than 900,000 visitors, rapidly approaching the maximum carrying capacity of the park, which was estimated by UNESCO at 1.26 million in 1994. The dramatic rise in visitor numbers over the last 10 years has also increased the pressure on the PAP. The Petra Archaeological Park plays not only an important role for the development of the regional economy, but also for the national economy. However, its economic potential both from tourism as well as related sectors is far from being utilized to its full extent; also the protection of the PAP as well as of the other regional natural and cultural resources is insufficient. Infrastructure deficiencies of the communities further limit the economic development and aggravate environmental problems. As a result the population of the Petra Region is not benefitting as much as it would be possible considering the unique assets and opportunities of their region. Therefore, considerable infrastructure improvements are being recommended to facilitate economic growth.

Page 7 of 61 MAIN CHALLENGES OF THE PETRA REGION as a visitor flow concept that will help to ensure a more even visitor distribution over the day and over the year; Improvements within the PAP as well as other tourism related prod- • Establish a well-defined “animal policy” for PAP; ucts and services could - with careful planning - enhance the eco- • Define PAP and the World Heritage site boundaries in a clear nomic situation and living quality, reduce social disparities and ten- and logical way agreed on by all stakeholders. sions and protect the region’s natural and cultural resources. The Strategic Master Plan addresses the most pressing socio-economic 3.) the perspective of Petra’s tourism product: and environmental issues related to the PAP, tourism growth, effi- • Consider, plan and implement tourism activities outside of cient land-use, as well as other social and infrastructural challenges, PAP, which complement the services of the park; which were expressed in the course of the numerous personal inter- • Package, market and organize a variety of activities and at- views, community workshops and discussions in the communities. tractions in such a way that tourists stay longer in the region; The main challenges for the further development of the Petra Region • Increase revenues and profits by offering more innovative and come from more valuable local products that are also marketed and mer- 1.) a socio-economic perspective: chandised in a more professional way; Support smaller businesses and family businesses working to- • Decrease disparities between the communities and tribes in • Petra Region in terms of income, number and quality of jobs, gether in more or less formal cooperatives; education and human development in general; • Create personal guiding services with well-educated and well- trained local personnel that offers a large potential for the crea- • Enhance the competitiveness of sectors related to tourism so that a regional supply chain for tourism can develop; tion of numerous new jobs; Establish a "hop-on/hop-off" shuttle transportation service in • Provide alternative sources of employment for area residents • not directly engaged in the field of tourism; order to increase the mobility of both tourists and locals.

• Promote endogenous and foreign investments of the private 4.) a land use perspective: and public sector in the local economy. • Establish boundaries that conform to heavy concentrations of 2.) the perspective of Petra Archaeological Park: archaeological sites, land ownership, ecological units, or physical features like roadways; • Optimize carrying capacities and visitor flow in the interest of visitor satisfaction and protection of the World Heritage site; • Provide and communicate a clear definition of existing or proposed land use zones within the Petra Region; • Increase service quality and variety of products offered in the PAP in order to increase visitor satisfaction and money spent • Gather reliable GIS data and maps, which are urgently while reducing its negative impact on the PAP; needed to establish a reliable basis for land use planning; Control and plan urban development more efficiently; • Establish an advance booking and ticketing service as well • • Consider a formal policy statement on the appropriateness or

Page 8 of 61 prohibition of mining in some areas of the Petra Region in Petra Region need to be addressed in detail in order to make sure order to protect the archaeological sites and resources of the that both the vision and the strategic master plan fit the individual PAP and the Petra Region; strengths, weaknesses, opportunities and threats of both the Petra • Suggest specific zoning and land use plans for regions or Region and its six communities. towns that are missing.

5.) an environmental perspective: • Set up mechanisms to establish an accurate, reliable, and comprehensive database of information about land within the region including flora, fauna and other types of resources; • Set up more stringent regulations to protect the natural environment of the region, especially regarding grazing and fuel- wood collection practices; • Integrate protected areas planned by the RSCN into the regional development plan through establishing close communication and coordination between the PDTRA and RSCN.

6.) a social and infrastructural perspective: • Balancing the lack of social services and its uneven distribution across the region; • Strengthen the cooperation between PDTRA and regional utility providers to establish a clear Utility Extension Policy; • Shape the institutional and stakeholder environment in a way that allows for a clear communication between the PDTRA and the ministries by avoiding an overlapping of activities; • Allow for a better information flow and more communication between PDTRA and local residents; • Provide a state-of-the-art local transportation system to mi- nimize the negative ecological impact of diesel buses and in- creasingly congested traffic (particularly in Wadi Musa).

The identified main challenges for the further development of the

Page 9 of 61 OVERVIEW OF THE PETRA REGION The Petra Region under the administration of the Petra Develop- ment and Tourism Regional Authority (PDTRA) is a 796.41 donum semi-autonomous district including the 260.82 donum of the Petra Archaeological Park. Within the region the six communities Dlagha, Rajif, Taybeh, Wadi Musa, Umm Sayhoun and Baidha, which have a total population number of 27,944 inhabitants (DOS 2009), are si- tuated. These communities are connected to each other through well-maintained highways: Baidha and Umm Sayhoun, located in the North of the region, are connected to Wadi Musa through the Wadi Araba highway, Wadi Musa, Taybeh and Rajif are located along the King’s highway (“Scenic Road”). Dlagha, the community located at the Southern end of the region, is connected to Rajif through the Masoudha highway.

Area existing Population within town Tribe Community (DOS 2009) boundaries (qabilah) (in donum) Baidha 401 63 Amaariin Umm Sayhoun 1,631 290 Bidoul Wadi Musa 17,085 7,360 Layathnah Taybeh 5,719 3,120 Layathnah Rajif 1,674 1,880 Rawajfah Dlagha 1,434 1,630 Saidiyyiin Total 27,944 14,343* *Excluding Al Hayy, an area of Wadi Musa that is classified as residential zone but is not yet developed

Page 10 of 61 OVERALL VISION FOR THE PETRA REGION

⇒ Change from a mere Attraction to a World-Class Tourism Destination based on its unique, well-preserved and authentic cultural and natural heritage, outstanding service quality and high environmental standards. Strategic objectives for the Petra Region: • Long-term protection and preservation of the unique cultural and natural values must have precedent over short-term economic benefits; • Encouragement of entrepreneurial behavior and a market economy within a strictly enforced set of transparent and cohe- rent rules and regulations; • Strengthen regional value creation from economic activities and development of region-specific competitive advantages; • Urban development in compact and delightful urban forms that can be served in an efficient way by infrastructure and public services and allow future populations to be accommodated with the minimal consumption of land; • Provision of basic infrastructure and public services throughout the region in order to create equal opportunities.

The mission of the Petra Development and Tourism Region Au- thority (PDTRA) will be to act responsibly in every possible way to protect the archaeological treasures of the area and to foster and maintain development in a sustainable way. The PDTRA will act in the best interest of the people of the region and will strive for social equality and equal opportunities for all citizens of the region alike. The PDTRA will ensure to actively engage each of the six communities in the future development processes of the region.

Page 11 of 61 WADI MUSA IN THE CONTEXT OF THE PETRA REGION Wadi Musa is the largest settlement and administrative center of the Petra Region, even if it is not located in the exact geographical center. Located near the entrance to the Petra Archeological Park it is the main gateway for tourists visiting the Petra Region. Therefore, most of the tourist accommodations and facilities are located in either downtown Wadi Musa or just outside along the Scenic Road to Taybeh. Most public facilities banks and administrative services for the Petra Region are located in Wadi Musa as well. Wadi Musa is clearly the community with the best infrastructure. It is also the transportation hub for the region as buses leaving to other parts of Jordan are leaving from Wadi Musa. The King’s Highway connects Wadi Musa to the North of Jordan via Shaubak to Madaba or to the Desert Highway (used by most visitors coming to Petra) and to the South of Jordan via Taybeh and Rajif. The Wadi Araba road links Wadi Musa to the communities located in the North of the Petra Re- gion.

Among the six communities, Wadi Musa is with its 17,085 inhabitants (8,184 females and 8,901 males DOS 2009) and its area of 7,360 donum (area existing within town boundaries, but without Al Hayy) the largest community of the Petra Region (Source DoS

2009). The density of the population (based on the area within town boundaries) was 2.3 people per donum in 2009, which is only slightly higher than the regional average of 2 people per donum. Wadi Musa has with 3.2% the highest population growth rate of the Petra Region (based on own calculations taking as indication the population numbers given by the Sigma Study for the ten years period 1999 – 2009). The large majority of the Wadi Musa population belongs the Layathnah tribe that can be subdivided into several clans.

The Layathnah tribe of Wadi Musa dominates the commerce and politics of the Petra Region. They settled at the main watercourses

Page 12 of 61 and associated springs of Wadi Musa and Wadi Sidr. The clans of ety, the Petra Local Tour Guides Cooperative Society or the Beit al- the Layathnah are by far the most numerous in the Region, and they Anbat Society engaged in the field of knowledge development and pioneered the tourism industry. From guarding the entrance to the issues related to Nabataean history. Nabataean city in the 19th century, they went on to be the first "tour guides" in the 20th century: early tourists were assigned by the police to the care of individual Layathnah guides, who were then personally responsible for the travelers' safety. Their position in Petra’s tourism is still evident in the 21st century, as they dominate almost exclusively the local hotels and restaurants, tour operator offices as well as guides and horse related tourism activities. The Layathnah are also distinctive for their relatively high level of education.

One of the main hotel areas of the Petra Region is located along the section of the King’s highway connecting Taybeh to Wadi Musa commonly called the Scenic Road because of its stunning views into the Wadi Taybeh and the mountains behind. As this area is of great interest for the development of touristic facilities previous studies study have provided recommendations on its zoning.

The Sigma report from 2000 outlined three zones - A, B, C - to serve the Scenic Road between Wadi Musa and Taybeh. Zone A, near Wadi Musa is considered the most sensitive landscape where development is totally prohibited due to visual, environmental, topo- graphical or geotechnical constraints. Zone B is considered to be a sensitive landscape where restricted development can be permitted under strict development regulations, control measures and by-laws. Zone C, closest to Taybeh is considered to be a sensitive landscape as well where limited development is to be permitted under less strict regulations.

Most of the region’s cooperatives are to be found in Wadi Musa (19 in total), such as the Nabataean Ladies Cooperative Of Wadi Musa (40 members; established in 1999), the Petra Special Needs Soci-

Page 13 of 61 LAND SENSITIVITY ANALYSES A Development Priorities Map for the region and each community was prepared by combining the Land Sensitivity Maps with the Growth Efficiency Maps. The Development Priorities Maps are used to identify land areas where development can occur with the least impact on important archaeological and natural resources and allowing for the greatest ease and efficiency of providing public services. These maps are based on several objective criteria.

Objective criteria include:

‐ Topography and slopes ‐ Hydrology and geology ‐ Vegetation (types, zones) ‐ Archaeological Sites ‐ Agricultural Soils ‐ Closed Forests ‐ Bare Rock ‐ Significant Views ‐ Transportation Infrastructure ‐ Water and Sewer Infrastructure ‐ Electricity Network ‐ Proximity to Schools ‐ Landmarks ‐ Health services ‐ Accommodation/tourism infrastructure ‐ Public space and recreation facilities

Please note: That the criteria listed is not exhaustive and that they may vary from one community to another.

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Page 16 of 61 Land Sensitivity III. and Sensitivity IV.

Page 17 of 61 SWOT ANALYSIS OF WADI MUSA

Based on a thorough analysis, specific Strengths, Weaknesses, Op- portunities and Threats were identified for Wadi Musa: WEAKNESSES • Significant negative agglomeration effects (traffic, pollution, STRENGTHS noise, increasing prices for land and goods, etc.) • Proximity to the entrance to PAP therefore strategically well- • Recreational, leisure and entertainment facilities and areas for located to benefit from tourism tourists and local population are missing • Most of the hotels and other tourism services e.g. restaurants or • Keeping animals and stables in the residential area result in bad souvenir shops are located in Wadi Musa providing jobs to the smell and potential hygiene problems; no infrastructure for local inhabitants keeping animals available (e.g. riding paths) • Developed business community with successful local entrepre- • Breach of regulations for some building activities (e.g. Crown neurs Plaza) • Good education facilities including a University College for Arc- • Transportation system and visitor flow management not well haeology, Tourism and Hotel Management developed • Bus connections to other regions and to major destinations in the • Building in the wadi reduces the green area and aggravates country are available environmental problems (e.g. flush flooding) • Handicraft co-operatives are producing original craftwork such as jewelry inspired by Nabataean design • Several local tour operators existing • Good mobile phone network coverage and reasonable Internet access

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OPPORTUNITIES THREATS • Upgrading of tourism accommodation facilities (inside and out- • Growing tourism may lead to increased pollution, severe envi- side), especially to promote private investments of local owners ronmental damage and traffic congestion if not managed appro- • Improve/create new public spaces in order to increase both the priately quality of life and the consumption of locals as well as tourists • If due to political or global economical recession less tourist • Implement innovative transportation solutions come to visit Petra the majority of the Wadi Musa population will • Identify new space for residential development outside the main lose their income as they mainly depend on tourism as revenue touristic attractions source • Development of new tourism products and innovations in town • Strengthen the role as centre of knowledge for archaeology, Bedu traditions and agriculture • Use horses in a more attractive way e.g. to explore other trails or sites • The structure of Elgi could be turned into a handicraft market or any other attractive tourist site • Link existing tourist services better together and create a network, allowing tourists to know more about the infrastructure existing in Wadi Musa e.g. through a common website

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Page 20 of 61 WADI MUSA: A VISION FOR A BETTER FUTURE existing academic institutions and research in Wadi Musa can play a fundamental role. The overall vision for Wadi Musa is to enhance the community and to turn it into a nicer place for living and to give its popula- In order to create an overall vision for Wadi Musa and allow for its tion a true sense of identity. In addition, it will be crucial to en- realization initiatives in the following fields are recommended: sure that the future tourism development related to the PAP will truly benefit all inhabitants of Wadi Musa and that the negative • Tourism Activities effects of tourism will be minimized. • Accommodation Facilities • Tourism Services and Products Due to the proximity of Wadi Musa to the Petra site and the close • Other Economic Activities involvement in tourism activities within the PAP, finding suitable so- • Residential Zone lutions for the social and economic issues of the population of Wadi • Developable Land and Land Use Musa is of great importance for the future development of the Petra • Public Transportation Region. • Public Facilities and Services • Social Issues In this context, reshaping downtown Wadi Musa is important in order • Water: Waste Water Treatment & Rain Harvesting to create a nicer environment for the local population to live in, but Energy Management also for the tourists visiting the Petra Region. The traffic situation in • the streets of Wadi Musa needs urgently to be addressed. It is sug- • Environmental Issues gested to re-create the pleasant gardens for which Wadi Musa was famous..

The existing infrastructures need to be enhanced in order to trans- form Wadi Musa in a community meeting the standards of a World- Class Tourism Destination. The creation of additional entertainment facilities and programs is recommended for both visitors and residents of all age categories.

Furthermore, it will be important to provide a variety of alternative job opportunities to the local population (especially for women and young people) in order to avoid the risk of being too dependent on tourism alone. In this regard the further development of the already

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Page 22 of 61 TOURISM ACTIVITIES Thus, Wadi Musa shall become a tourist town that is meeting World- Class standards with emphasis on: Wadi Musa will continue to be the community in the region that is most intensively involved with tourists. Therefore, is recommended • A wide range of excellent accommodation facilities (guest to classify the area between downtown Wadi-Musa (incl. Elgi) and houses, “Boutique Hotels” and bigger hotel resorts) the PAP entrance as a high-intensity tourism zone. • Adhering to a strict building code that will guarantee construction in the local style The high intensity tourism area will allow for the creation of a “local • Buildings with a maximum height of up to six stories (four sto- market” with a variety of shops, restaurants, bars and attractions for ries at the street front) in the intensive tourism zone every taste and pocketbook. Local people (from the entire Petra Re- • Featuring a general theme of a pleasant “green” and entertain- gion) can develop different businesses that will be attractive to tour- ing atmosphere at the “Wadi Musa Central Gardens” ists who may stay in internationally or in locally owned hotels. Tour- • Catering to guests who are looking for a variety of traditional or ists usually appreciate the opportunity to go out (of their hotels) and modern tourism facilities with modern infrastructure, conve- enjoy a variety of food and entertainment options, if safety, clean- niently located right next to the entrance to PAP ness, hygiene, ambience, quality of products, are satisfactory. • Building a multifunctional conference & entertainment facility A high investment priority recommended in the Strategic Master which will allow to attract additional business, particularly dur- Plan for the Petra Region is the re-urbanization of the traditional ing the low season Wadi Musa Town Center (including Elgi) around a newly to be Investors from Wadi Musa or any other of the Petra Region com- created Town Square (around the present office of the Environmen- munities but also from outside should be invited. However, local tal Department of the PDTRA) and the development of a high inten- participation by becoming equity partners and starting a business sity tourism zone near the PAP Entrance Gate and Visitor Center. venture should always have precedence over simply selling land This zones that are connected by “Wadi Musa Central Gardens” and spending the proceeds on consumer products. This could al- shall become meeting places for tourists and locals alike with a va- so mean to expand or duplicate some of the Public Private Part- riety of restaurants, cafés, ice-cream sellers, shops, entertainment nership models, which already exist in the region. establishments and other tourism attractions for all age groups. Pub- lic gardens and green areas that will follow the spirit and traditions of the green wadis of the area shall be developed and maintained.

The concept of green walking trails, integrated in the pedestrian zone and shopping areas (preferably in the tradition of Souqs and Bazaar) must be a key issue in the strategy for Wadi Musa.

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Page 24 of 61 TOWN TOURIST CENTER, MAIN SQUARE AND MUSEUM A new pleasant tourism zone should be created in central Wadi Mu- sa, which would provide a “walkable” link between the core area of the city and the PAP entrance. This shall encourage tourists to walk from their hotels near the entry gate to Petra into the downtown area for shopping and dinner. This shall further help to reduce the present congestion problem and turn Wadi Musa into a nicer living space for the local population. By improving the pedestrian environment of Old Town Wadi Musa, the economic potential of the Elgi district, currently isolated by excessive automobile and bus traffic, will be strongly improved. The auto-free zone of downtown Wadi Musa should extend to Elgi and extend all the way to the park entrance. This area will form an ideal setting for artistic and entertaining outdoor activities, such as concerts and other musical performances as well as an outdoor sculpture garden. Public outdoor displays are recommended A preliminary calculation for an estimate of space and construction around a new archaeological museum that is to be planned in the requirements with an indicative investment budget is shown in the center of town. table below. An estimation of possible annual revenues is indicated, together with a potential number of jobs created. A Public Private It is recommended to move the most valuable exhibitions of the Pe- Partnership model is likely to bring the best results. tra Museum from the park into this new museum in the center of Wadi Musa in order to reduce tourism impacts within the PAP and to provide a reason for visitors to visit the city centre of Wadi Musa as well as to extend hours of visitation into the evening. Three sites may be considered for the new museum: the first adjacent to the current PDTRA office building in the heart of downtown (our pre- ferred choice), a second along Wadi Musa adjacent to the university and a third adjacent to the new visitors' centre. Ideally, this museum would be built on the basis of an international architectural competition in order to draw attention to the high cultural value of the region.

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Page 26 of 61 WADI REVITALIZATION A major attraction of Wadi Musa – even though somewhat neglected during the past years – is the view over two major wadis with their traditional small-scale agriculture on terraces along the wadi em- bankments. Lately, a growing interest in reviving these traditions can be noticed. The wadis are clearly the greenest area of the Petra Re- gion. Many families grow vegetables, fruits and olives there and it is a landscape of a truly bucolic atmosphere, rarely seen anymore in our times. These terraced orchards and gardens of Wadi Musa can provide a major interpretive theme within the Petra Region. Visitors to Petra quite logically will want to know how a civilization was able to survive and prosper in such an arid landscape. An entire interpretive theme should be built around this idea, illustrated by these re- newed agricultural tradition.

It is suggested to connect and possibly widen to a minor degree the existing paths and small roads. They would become attractive walkways for locals and tourists, who prefer a leisurely walk to the more strenuous treks in the wider region. These paths would lend themselves well for rides on an animal or with a carriage, offering interesting vistas with great variety. Another attraction would be the (re-) construction of traditional methods of water harvesting, which would at the same time be useful for horti- and agriculture and interesting to visitors.

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Page 28 of 61 HANDICRAFT AND SOUVENIR SOUQ The newly designed Souq would go along with incentives to strengthen the specialized production of unique local products created by The creation of a new Handicraft and Souvenir Souq located at or dynamic local associations. near the main Entrance/Exit gate of the PAP directly adjacent to downtown Wadi Musa will offer a new souvenir shopping experience Souvenirs and other products currently offered with in the PAP are for tourists. The strategic location of the Souq at the main En- often of low quality and originality. Tourists purchasing these mostly trance/Exit gate of the PAP means that almost all visitors will pass want to support the local population and are rather not so much in- by the Souq on their way out of the PAP. Even visitors using the terested in the products. Selling souvenirs inside the PAP appears future shuttle bus service from the back exit (green line) will have the therefore as less effective and benefits are not compensating the possibility as the shuttle bus is foreseen to lead the visitors from the negative aspects of the shops and vendors inside the PAP. In the back Entrance/Exit gate within the PAP towards the main En- long term (5-7 years) it is suggested that all shops should be re- trance/Exit gate. One major advantage of the Souq will be its acces- moved from the park. This would take pressure off the archaeologi- sibility for tourists also after their visit in the PAP, as it will have cal monuments, would allow for a faster flow of visitors and would longer opening hours than the park. This will allow vendors to extend avoid overcrowding in the main areas of the PAP. their business hours and provide additional entertainment for tourists in the evenings. Examples from all over the world show that tourists The Souq would instead create new focused business opportunities. are in general far more willing to spend time and money in a central As it will take time to plan and build a new adequate Souq infrastruc- space exclusively dedicated to souvenir shopping instead of buying ture it is foreseen that at first the 20 shops located inside the park while visiting major cultural heritage sites. could get a new space at or near the bus turn–around at the lower back gate of the PAP as soon as the new bus line will be operative. Tourists would be able to browse through a large choice of unique This would be a strategic place to locate the shops, as they would and high-quality souvenirs and handicraft products in a hustle free attract visitors waiting for the bus to drive them back to Wadi Musa and friendly environment. Providing tourists the opportunity to care- at the end of their visit of the park. For the visitors waiting for a bus, fully choose souvenirs and handicraft products meeting a certain skimming through the products of the shops it will be a pleasant way quality standard will invite them to spend higher amounts of money. to shorten their waiting time. These handicraft products should ideally be created and produced in the Petra Region in order to strengthen the regional value chain lin- kage. A diversity of proposed products would be reached through inviting population from every community of the region to obtain li- censes to sell products in the Souq.

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Page 30 of 61 MULTI-PURPOSE ENTERTAINMENT & CONFERENCE The large hall of the Multi-purpose Entertainment and Conference Center is recommended to also include a stage, which is big enough CENTER for theater, dance or any other kind of performances to take place. It is recommended that a Multi-purpose Entertainment and Confe- Ideally this stage includes modern sound and light installations, cur- rence Centre is developed that can provide a venue for business, tains, flexible stage elements and similar equipment needed. professional, and non-governmental organizations to gather. At the same time it can be used as a space for various kinds of entertainment purposes. As in many tourism resorts, the Petra Region faces the problem of seasonality. Because of the extensive low seasons, it is at present rather difficult for the hotels to reach occupancy rates that are higher than 60%. Such a facility can help to increase hotel occupancy during the low and shoulder seasons.

The excellent reputation of Petra and the reputation of Jordan as one of the safest and politically most stable countries in the region and the easy reach from Amman and Aqaba airports, make Petra and its good hotel offering a very attractive destination for the so- called MICE market. The acronym MICE stand for Meetings, Incen- tives (=travel as business motivation), Conventions and Events. Pe- tra offers all necessary prerequisites - except a suitable meeting facility - to successfully pursue this very attractive segment of the tourism market, which is known to bring the highest per capita revenue among all forms of tourism, This stage can be used for traditional dance, theatre and music performances showing visitors the local culture and providing additional Therefore, it is recommended to build a Multi-purpose Entertainment entertainment in the evenings. During the low tourism season local and Conference Center, consisting of one large hall that will hold up theater and dance groups could use the stage for repetitions and to approximately 400-500 persons as well as up to ten smaller performances in front of the regional communities. rooms for anywhere between 50 and 150 people (some created by subdividing smaller ones through movable partitions) since many Furthermore, it is recommended to equip the Center with a cinema- conferences have a need to break up into smaller working groups. screen allowing to show movies. The screening schedule will be conceived in such way that the program caters for both locals and tourists. Therefore the program would include movies centering around or set in Petra for tourists; in addition a cinema program tar-

Page 31 of 61 geted at the local population would show some of the latest movies The centre should be located over layers of structured parking, released. which may in turn provide parking for workers and visitors to Old Town Wadi Musa as well. The central plaza of this new development In addition, the Center can host large and small meetings of the local should be configured in such a way that it can also serve as a population. This would be especially interesting for groups and sec- Community Market for locals and visitors. Similar to a plaza should tions of the population in Wadi Musa, such as women and young be designed in a way that musical, theatrical, film events, and local people, which currently do not have any place for large meetings. It gatherings and festivals may be accommodated. This major new would also be a suitable space for regional political meetings gather- development may become a magnet drawing visitors from the park ing the population from all six communities. and from the hotel district into Old Town Wadi Musa along the paths of the Central Garden. To sump it up, such a Multi-purpose Entertainment and Conference Center can be used for a great number of purposes: A preliminary calculation for an estimate of space and construction requirements with an indicative investment budget is shown in the • Small and medium sized conferences, meetings of any size table below. An estimation of possible annual revenues is indicated, • Public and private events, such as weddings and celebrations, together with a potential number of jobs created. A Public Private concerts, art exhibits and other cultural events Partnership model is likely to bring the best results. • Staging shows and exhibits for business purposes (e.g. incentives, product presentations etc.,) • Creating multi media presentation interpreting the historic and cultural background of Petra; showing some of the great films with local context during tourist seasons (e.g. Indiana Jones, Lawrence of Arabia, Moses and the like)

Multi-purpose Entertainment and Conference centers have proven to be creators of considerable indirect profitability for municipalities and regions that have invested in their construction because of the mani- fold return in the increase of tax revenue from an increase in both overnight stays and increased average tourist expenditure. Thus, in most cases such conference centers will be built by the public sector and given to the private sector for operation under a management contract or a lease agreement. There are numerous companies that have experience in managing and marketing conference centers, among them a number of international hotel management companies.

Page 32 of 61 HIGH END CONFERENCE AND RESORT HOTEL Frequently the construction of a Multi-purpose Entertainment and Conference Center is combined with an adjacent hotel (preferably with directly connected access) on the basis of a Private Public Partnership agreement between the Public sector and a private investor. Management and (international) marketing ought to be per- formed by an experienced firm that is managing both objects. The hotel investor has a clear advantage with such a conference center, because attendees of conferences will prefer the vicinity of their hotel to the meeting venue. The management of the conference center will want to cooperate with all other hotels in the region as well, in order to secure a good utilization rate. Such an arrangement can therefore result in a win-win situation for all parties involved. One suggested location for the conference and resort hotel is the hotel zone near the park entrance or within Old Town Wadi Musa .

A preliminary calculation, an estimate of space and construction requirements with an indicative investment budget is shown in the table below. An estimation of possible annual revenue is indicated, together with a potential number of jobs created.

Page 33 of 61 Page 34 of 61 SPECIAL EVENTS AND FESTIVALS Along with the symposium events for the local and foreign non- academic public can be organized. One suggestion relatively easy to Organizing temporary events and festivals to celebrate special oc- realize would be the creation of an exhibition showing historic pic- casions is a great opportunity for the Petra Region to enhance and tures and drawings from travelers coming to Petra in the 19th cen- promote its great heritage. These events are especially successful tury, which could then serve as a permanent exhibit for the new mu- when they are as wide-ranged as possible, targeting on different seum. This would include the well-known drawings of the Scottish audiences, such as tourists, locals and the academic world. painter David Roberts from 1839 (see illustration on the opposite site). High quality texts on Burckhardt’s life and his discovery of Pe- Some anniversaries will be celebrated in 2012 relevant for the Petra tra, as well as excerpts from his books are useful interpretation tools Region: one is the re-discovery of Petra by the Swiss explorer Jean- for an interesting exhibition. A multi-media presentation or even a Louis Burkhardt 200 years ago another the filming of “Lawrence of short film about Burckhardt’s discovery of Petra are additional ways Arabia” 50 years ago. These are good occasions for the Petra Re- to attractively present his importance for region. gion to position itself as a World-Class Tourism Destination through offering high-quality events. One way for the local youth to approach the subject of the re- discovery of Petra is to prepare a competition of theater perfor- Linked to the re-discovery of Petra by Burkhardt several types of mances among the local youths, showing the encounter of the Be- events could take place. One suggestion is to organize an interna- douins living at that time in Petra and the explorer Burkhardt. This tional symposium where local academics and experts from all over may induce a thinking process on the encounters of cultures in gen- the world, as well as young academics could present papers and eral and on the changes resulting from thereof – the positive ones discuss the importance of the re-discovery of Petra by Burkhardt and the negative ones – and bring them into the proper perspective. from different angles. These would focus primarily on the archaeo- The final theater performances can also become part of an enter- logical perspective, but could also include its importance for the de- tainment program for tourists. velopment of tourism in Jordan and in the Middle East. As a result of the symposium the best papers and articles can be published com- memorating the re-discovery of Petra. The success of the conference will depend largely on the ability of different stakeholders involved in the research on Petra to put together an impressive range of experts.

Regarding the organization and management of the symposium it is suggested that the University in Wadi Musa takes the lead to turn it into a project based on local initiative.

Page 35 of 61 HOTEL DISTRICT IN DOWN TOWN WADI MUSA Hotels along the Scenic Road A few additional rooms may be built along the Scenic Road between Within the Petra Region, an estimate of the demand for additional Wadi Musa and Taybeh, including some expansion of the existing hotel rooms suggests that an additional 3,500 rooms may be needed hotels. In general it would be preferable to expand accommodation by 2030 if the maximum carrying capacity should be reached by that facilities at already existing locations, which will reduce additional time. infrastructure and transportation services. It will also help to avoid sprawling into new, as of yet undeveloped areas of the Petra Region The majority of hotel rooms would most likely be located in Wadi and will lead to a more structured urban development Musa. These rooms however, should not be spread throughout the city, in part to insure that residential neighborhoods are not adverse- Guesthouse Facilities within Old Town Wadi Musa ly impacted by tourism and the car and bus traffic they inevitably By providing a more efficient and less intrusive transportation sys- bring with them. Instead, the hotel rooms would be clustered in and tem within the Old Town, the creation of guesthouse facilities and around the entry to the Petra Archaeological Park, along the Central small hotels within the Old Town District is also possible. The crea- Gardens, and in Old Town Wadi Musa. In this way these new will tion of an auto-free zone with boutique shops and restaurants within help to stimulate business also for shops and restaurants in the Old Town should also encourage tourism development in Old Town. town. Wherever possible, hotel rooms, as in the Mövenpick at the Park entrance, would be built above retail shops and restaurants, Al-Hayy Eco-Lodge creating a dynamic environment for visitors to the region. It is suggested to develop the old settlement at Al-Hayy into an eco- logically sound residential area. In addition, the creation of an eco- There is a saying within the real estate community that “retail follows lodge at Al-Hayy seems an interesting idea, which would be linked rooftops.” The economic health of Old Town Wadi Musa would through trails to the regional and supra-regional network of eco- benefit greatly from the addition of hotel rooms. Similarly, by concen- lodges. trating hotel rooms within walking distance of Old Town Wadi Musa and the entrance of the Petra Archaeological Park transportation demands will be reduced. The gardens of the Central Commons could be a source of free fruits and vegetables for adjacent restaurants as well as for the surrounding hotels.

In order to meet the standard of a true world-class destination it will be crucial to improve the overall standards of the existing hotels.

Page 36 of 61 OTHER ECONOMIC ACTIVITIES Art Galleries Art galleries for local and visiting artists could be opened in the Wa- In addition to income opportunities directly related to tourism there di-Musa downtown tourism zone. They would contribute to enhance are several possibilities of no, or only indirect involvement with the the local cultural life, offer an additional place for tourists to visit and tourism sector allowing for more economic diversification. This is serve the type of clients looking for original works of art. especially offering women a chance to find suitable job opportunities. Academic Research and Training Facilities In general, it will greatly benefit Wadi Musa as well as the whole Handicraft and Other Production Petra Region if an academic offer of public learning could be intro- In Wadi Musa several cooperatives and associations are already duced by the local university that would teach subjects directly rele- engaged in the production of handicraft items and souvenirs. The vant to the future development of the region. It would create numer- Nabataean Ladies Cooperative for example is producing silver arti- ous job opportunities in various fields for people from Wadi Musa facts, which they sell in their own shop and inside the PAP. None- and the other communities who will be better educated and be able theless, most of the cooperatives in Wadi Musa as well as other re- to obtain better paid jobs. gional cooperatives are lacking effective marketing strategies; support in this respect is urgently needed. It would be important that the New programs may include for example the establishment of an inhabitants of Wadi Musa obtain adequate shop space in the new animal veterinary program at al-Hussain bin Talal University (AHU), Souq located at the entrance of the Petra Archaeological Park. Sil- or an institute for both historical and modern innovative water tech- ver work could be further developed into a local specialty from Wadi nology. The institute could be used as the center for the restoration Musa. and maintenance of historic water systems, but also to host water projects and encourage research and innovative design. Jewelry Making Session and Creative Holiday Programs In addition, jewelry making sessions could be initiated which would Furthermore, the guide-training program at the College of Tourism allow visitors to watch the women of the association making their and Antiquities should be expanded in order to offer several levels of products and even to learn themselves to create their own products. certification. This would include relatively short courses for “escorts” Such kind of offer could be expanded into special creative-holiday and for specialized guides such as trekking guides and added certif- programs, where participants could learn about the local arts and icates for "specializations" for existing guides, e.g. geology, local crafts through visiting the heritage of the region, and at same time plants, Neolithic culture, etc. In order to cater for the regional tourism be creative themselves through learning how to make their own je- sector it will also be advantageous to establish a language-training welry. This type of offer would attract another type of tourists and center so that guides (and others) may study foreign languages. significantly contribute to extend their stay in the region.

Page 37 of 61 Wadi Musa Town Plan - An Example for Future Development

Page 38 of 61 DEVELOPMENT OF RESIDENTIAL NEIGHBORHOOD The neighborhood centers must not compete against, but supple- ment the main city center of Wadi Musa. They shall cover the ex- It will be important that beside the high-intensity tourism zone in panded community area in a way that all newly built residences will downtown Wadi Musa also calmer residential zones would be de- be located within a 500m radius to a local center. Thus, a network of veloped within Wadi Musa. These zones should allow the local local centers connected through attractive walkways shall be estab- population to lead a life without major impact from tourism and pro- lished for Wadi Musa. vide a healthy and safe environment to raise children. The Town Plan provides an impression of how Wadi Musa could Downtown Wadi Musa is envisioned as a combination of residential, possibly develop and where the main facilities as well as the Wadi service and commercial areas, supplemented by adequate areas of Musa Central Gardens could be located. green space. In this way, a mix of uses shall be achieved to keep the center vital. The people of Wadi Musa must identify with their hometown. This can be achieved by creating an attractive city center where locals like to spend time, take a short break, do their groce- ries and meet friends. Therefore, attractive public space is essential to ensure a pleasant atmosphere in the city center that may also be enjoyed by tourists passing by.

Neighborhood centers will be located in the residential expansion areas and will offer the most important communal central functions. The living quality of residents will be greatly enhanced by local service facilities within walking distance of the homes. These services would include schools, a neighborhood park and playgrounds as well as local shops and a mosque. It is anticipated that these neighborhood centers will require approximately forty donum each. The precise location and configuration of the smaller local centers should be determined at the time the residential areas they serve are developed. The Land Use Plan presented on the following page only shows diagrammatically where these neighborhood centers could possibly be located.

Page 39 of 61 TRAFFIC AND TRANSPORTATION other than Arabic). In short, the average tourist would be hard- pressed to find his way to Wadi Musa from Amman on a public bus. The present traffic and transportation situation in the Petra Region and particularly in Wadi Musa is considered by all parties concerned In the medium term (3–7 years) a comprehensive solution for all as one of the most critical issues in the region. Wadi Musa is suffer- traffic arriving at the Petra Region should be established. Buses ar- ing from a poorly developed transportation system and visitor flow riving from Amman or Aqaba should preferably use the Desert management. It therefore is considered an important opportunity in Highway (rather than circulate through Rajif and Taybeh into Wadi terms of urban development to implement innovative transportation Musa). A new intermodal facility, or also designated as Regional solutions. One of the main reasons is the fact that most of the traffic Transportation Facility (RTF) in the following, should be constructed for tourists visiting the PAP currently needs to go through the narrow at the junction to the East of Wadi Musa (just outside of Ain Musa) of (and often quite steep) streets of downtown Wadi Musa; this not only the roads from and to Amman and Aqaba and Maan. For the time consumes time but also causes considerable traffic jams and pollu- being, the existing bus facility in Wadi Musa should remain in its tion through carbon dioxide and noise. Most of the tourists arriving in current downtown location. Petra come in groups using large buses that often have difficulties passing each other. Regional Road Connection The main North-South road connecting between Baidha and Dlagha Interregional Connections is in a comparatively very good condition and urban development From Wadi Musa, bus connections are available to other regions occurs along this Scenic Road, where a majority of the hotel rooms and to major destinations in the country. Daily minibuses run to Pe- are located. The main road fluctuates in carrying capacity, grade and tra from Amman Wihdat bus station. The journey takes about three bendiness between the Northern and Southern extremities of the and a half hours. Luxury Jett buses offer day trips from Amman to region. It varies from a relatively steep, acutely curved one-lane road Petra including guided tours. Other important touristic places in Jor- after the North of Wadi Musa to a very wide, nearly four-lane high- dan are connected by bus to Petra (local mini bus services) such as way between Wadi Musa and Taybeh, constricting again in Taybeh. Aqaba (several daily buses), Wadi Rum (1.5 hours by minibus) or However, the main road provides a suitable transportation system to Madaba via the scenic King’s Highway. One notable drawback to facilitate transportation demand. both the Amman Wihdat and Wadi Musa bus services is that the bus stations are unmarked, and the destinations of buses usually appear The section of the Scenic Road - especially between Wadi Musa only in Arabic script on the backs of the buses. No timetable is pub- and Taybeh - is quite wide and would allow for a separate bus lane lished, nor are they shown at the stations. Wihdat is a half-hour taxi and/or some parking spaces. So far, throughout Jordan hardly any ride from West Amman, in one of the large Palestinian refugee parking areas or traffic lanes are striped. It is suggested to stripe "camps," and most taxi drivers speak little English (or any language roads in the Petra Region in order to define bus lanes and/or bike lanes. Narrowing the roads (even with paint) would calm traffic and slow speeds (a very useful measure in a tourist zone!). Large parts of the Scenic Road have a paved width of about 10m minimum and

Page 40 of 61 extra space on the shoulders: the presence of two good driving lanes of 3m width each would leave sufficient space for parking buses and cars, riding bicycles etc.

Traffic in Downtown Wadi Musa This current transportation situation makes shopping in downtown Wadi Musa for tourists and locals alike a rather uncomfortable experience. As a result, downtown shops and restaurants are by far not reaching their true sales potentials. Since a majority of the hotel rooms is located along the Kings Road, visitors are forced either to use their own buses for all visits during their stay or to take taxis (something only done by a small number). Even fewer tourists are taking the rather infrequent local busses that presently operate mostly based on demand.

Private buses should be removed from Wadi Musa with the excep- tion of vehicles that are carrying guests with reservations and their bags to and from their hotels. In these exceptional circumstances, buses will still be parked outside of the watershed during the period of the guest’s stay. Also, visitors who have a hotel reservation and arrive with their private cars are invited to park their cars at the RTF, which shall offer protected parking spaces.

Only local residents and shopkeepers would be allowed to drive their cars into downtown Wadi Musa. For them, parking would be permitted at some future (partially open underground) parking facilities as well as in some clearly designated downtown areas, usable with parking stickers only. Local shop owners and local residents could have an annual pass (“sticker”) for their cars; all other cars would have to park outside of the core area. This would allow for some very attractive pedestrian/shopping zones in downtown Wadi Musa.

Page 41 of 61 PUBLIC TRANSPORTATION Proposed New Bus System

Regarding the future development of public transport in Wadi Musa, the aim is to serve all residences with a bus station within 500-meter walking distance. Under present conditions and in the short run (three or seven years) a state-of-the-art bus system is recommended to ease the obvious problems with public transport in the region. The Petra bus system should be established as quickly as possible and should integrate the concept of a new Regional Transportation

Facility (RTF or Interception Lot) at the main access road to Wadi Musa from Amman, Maan and Aqaba; the planned bus form the back exit of Park near Umm Sayhoun should be linked with the new system, which would completely replace the current public transportation system. It is proposed as a system for the local population and tourists alike:

• For the local population it is recommended to offer a ticket for protected parking at the Regional Transport Facility with a The Red Bus Line bus ticket for maximum user comfort. This should in the long The Red Line connects the new Regional Transportation Facility of run motivate local residents who do not use their cars for Wadi Musa with the Park Entrance and is the backbone of the inner commercial purposes to use public transportation instead. city transportation system of Wadi Musa. Depending on the esti- • For tourists, the price for using the buses ought to be in- mated demand, city buses or articulated bendy buses can be uti- cluded in their PAP Entrance ticket, so they can use all the lized. Given a demand of up to 2,000 persons per hour in the peak bus lines in a hop-on / hop-off way that will motivate them to hour and 100 persons per bus, 20 buses per hour are required, visit other tourism attractions and installations in all parts of which corresponds to a frequency of one bus every three minutes. the Petra Region, which in turn will be of great benefit to the To avoid congestion, special bus lanes, for buses and taxis only, local businesses in all communities. could be designated in some areas, if possible.

As Wadi Musa is the main center of the Petra Region all the pro- The road infrastructure is not in an appropriate condition yet (sur- posed bus lines would be relevant to the community. face, gradient and width) to meet the needs for this system, so an improvement of road conditions in Wadi Musa is an essential pre- condition in terms of realizing the proposed bus system.

Page 42 of 61 The Blue Bus Line The Blue Line leads from Baidha to Dlagha (about 40km) and serves as the regional line to meet the needs of both the local population and the tourists who are accommodated outside of the center (i.e. along the Scenic Road or in the villages or camps in the vicinity).

The blue bus line is anticipated to have an average turnaround time of about 96 minutes (Baidha-Dlagha-Baidha, incl. stops) and a capacity of 50 persons/bus, causing an average needed number of busses of 10 and a frequency of up to 6 busses/hour and direction.

The Green Bus Line The Green Line serves mainly as back haul link from the Inner Gate of the PAP up to Umm Sayhoun and on to the PAP-Entrance/Exit Gate.

The Yellow Bus Line

An additional Yellow Line may be considered that would operate between PAP Entrance and the Scenic Road and would serve as a direct link between the hotel area and the Southern part of the town without touching the very center and therefore lead to a mitigation of traffic there.

Electric Tram

Page 43 of 61 The subject of running an electric tramline in Wadi Musa has been in option to solving some of the traffic problems in the Petra Region. discussion. The concept as such would be a highly recommendable Whereas there are several advantages to using teleferics, there are solution from an ecological and also from a scenic point of view and some severe disadvantages as well. might add considerable charm to the town; also, there is hardly a better way to watch a town than through the windows of a tram. Three possible teleferic installations were considered: However, from a technical point of view there are some severe ob- stacles to overcome. For one, only some sort of rope railway will be 1) From the Regional Transportation Facility to the Park Entrance able to overcome the inclines (similar to the one in San Francisco, Gate; this would be used predominantly by day visitors whose California). This would be very costly (and almost impossible to run buses are not permitted to enter Wadi Musa on the curves!). Furthermore, engineers have warned that the com- 2) From a point where the Scenic Road enters Wadi Musa to the bination of the extreme heat that occasionally occurs with the sand Park Entrance Gate; for tourists staying in a hotel along Kings and the amply necessary lubrication grease would pose tremendous Road (particularly in case more hotels would be built there) problems that would be difficult to solve. 3) From the bottom of PAP (near the present museum) up to the back exit of PAP at the lower end of Umm Sayhoun, were visi- Air Transportation tors would again be met by buses Even though the driving times from the airports of Aqaba and Am- man to the Petra Region range from only one-and-a-half and three Alternatives a) and b) are shown in a graph below. However, none of hours respectively, the Petra Region has repeatedly considered them is recommended in the short or medium term because the building its own airport. Although the project team determined that a movement patterns of locals and tourists are complex with many new airport would be unnecessary and economically unviable in the possible stops whereas a teleferic can only serve very few stops. At near future, the creation of a world-class tourism destination at Petra a minimum, two stops are required: one at the entry to the park and may require direct air access in the future. Therefore, it may be wise the other in downtown. Otherwise visitors would simply go from their to begin initial steps in the site selection process for a future airport bus to the park and back without ever visiting the downtown area along the Wadi Musa/Maan Highway. However, the need for this (and spending money there!). airport is not anticipated in the near or medium term. Alternative c) has not been pursued further, because it would cause Teleferic considerable visual interference and thus jeopardize the integrity of The construction of cable cars or teleferics at various points was, the place as a UNESCO World Heritage Site; in addition, a solution and still is, being considered as a serious and in-principle feasible with low-emission buses is currently in the process of being implemented, that seems – even though far from being perfect – quite reasonable in the short term. While no teleferic solution is being recommended for the immediate future, we suggest keeping in mind the described alternatives and

Page 44 of 61 possibly additional ones for the longer-term perspective. During the last few years robust progress has been made in the field of R&D for mechanical movers (including air-conditioning of the cabins), This development resulted from the stormy growth of uphill cable cars for winter sports and mountain tourism. New technology and new solutions may appear in the not too distant future.

The diagram in the next column shows a possible Teleferic System to connect the regional transport facility to Wadi Musa and the PAP entrance. Connections to the bus system in the center are also designated.

Page 45 of 61 PUBLIC FACILITIES AND SERVICES Information and Communication Technology (ICT) Public services and Information & Communication Technology (ICT) Since Wadi Musa is the largest and central community of the Petra networks are lacking in parts of the Petra Region, resulting in un- Region, the range of public facilities and services is comparatively equal opportunities for business and tourism. Good mobile phone wide. The infrastructure for both tourists and locals is quite well de- network coverage and reasonable Internet access, as available in veloped; nevertheless, as the community and tourism in the region Wadi Musa, are not self-evident for the communities in the Petra grows, an improvement of existing services will be needed. Region. Wadi Musa disposes of comparatively good ICT infrastructure and utilities. Parks Workshop discussions with the residents of the region suggest that The Internet plays a fundamental role in education, not only as a there is a substantial shortfall of developed recreation areas within source of information, but also to enroll in universities, identifying the communities. Land for active recreation - where it does exist - is education and job opportunities as well as to participate in courses comprised primarily of school grounds. While these areas do provide and classes that are supported by online tools. Therefore, it is a some room for active recreation for children, there is little ground for common objective to ensure the equal provision of Internet and ba- active recreation for adults. However, even the dimension and quali- sic infrastructure, public services and Information and Communica- ty of sports fields at schools are often inadequate. tion Technology (ICT) networks in general throughout the Petra Re- gion. For Wadi Musa as the most advanced community, the need for A lack of sufficient recreational, leisure and entertainment facilities action is not as big as for the more peripheral and more rural com- and areas for tourists and the local population is noticed in Wadi munities of the region. However, at least the maintaining of current Musa. It can be considered as an opportunity for the community to standards of ICT infrastructure as well as the conducting of some improve respectively create public spaces that increase the quality necessary improvements need to be ensured for the future. of life and enhance demand for goods and services by both locals and tourists. In Wadi Musa, there is currently one park area of 120 Police, Fire Protection and Post Office donum as well as ten sports fields. Until 2030, calculations project a Wadi Musa currently has one Police or “Civil Defense” (emergency need for 391 donum for new park areas and 33 more sports fields. service) station. In addition, a post office currently is located in Wadi Musa. It is recommended to provide Wadi Musa with additional areas for parks, a central park and play areas. Furthermore, it is recommended to estimate the need and available space for a large public souq or market.

Page 46 of 61 Places of Worship Generally, places of worship are financed by the private sector. However, additional mosques will need to be created over time. By calculating the ratio of the current population to places of worship, the future needs of the region can be estimated. Wadi Musa currently is well served by mosques.

Location of Public Facilities and Services Ideally, all these public facilities such as schools, parks, medical facilities, and retail facilities will be clustered together in close geographical proximity in order to create cohesive community centers for each neighborhood.

By placing facility clusters within easy walking distance from hous- ing, transportation needs of the community can be reduced. As the development within the Petra Region expands into new areas, sufficient public space needs to be set aside for such new all-round service centers to serve the new residents.

Page 47 of 61 SOCIAL ISSUES do not allow them to pursue certain jobs (e.g. tourism related ones) due to cultural norms and traditions. However, the women in Wadi Education Musa could for example work in the academic sector or in handicraft With currently 25 schools and one University College for Archae- production depending on their education level. ology, Tourism and Hotel Management (AHU; a branch of the Maan University) Wadi Musa is well served in terms of education institu- Recommendations: tions. However, with continued population growth, the community • Better equip schools with computers with Internet connec- will need additional educational facilities, especially if the recom- tion, sports equipments, a library, and science facilities. mendation to serve all residences with a school within a 500-meter • Develop specific educational, training and awareness raising walking distance is followed. Based on an analysis of existing ratios materials as well as curricula in order to promote education of schools to population and an assumed population growth rate of skills, which help to solve social issues, reinforce the local 3.5%, Wadi Musa is expected to require 39 additional schools until culture and promote the cultural values of Wadi Musa and the year 2030. These ratios should be considered a minimum; the Petra. actual need may be higher. Separate schools for girls and boys as well as for different education levels may cause a higher demand for Health & Medicinal Infrastructure schools. Currently one clinic/health care center for outpatients and one hospital are located in Wadi Musa. Until the Queen Rania Hospital was It is reported that also in Wadi Musa the schools are insufficiently founded several years ago the region had no hospital at all. Today equipped with for example computer labs with Internet access, the capacity of the only existing hospital in the Petra Region remains sports equipments, and science labs. This is very problematic for the with only 72 beds is still limited. The location on a mountain plateau future development of Wadi Musa and the Petra Region in general. above the Scenic Road between Wadi Musa and Taybeh makes Well-equipped schools are a vital factor in increasing the education public access difficult. Additional medical services in Wadi Musa are level, the income level and the standard of living in the community. provided by the Wadi Musa Health Center and the Petra Medical Especially the Internet plays as an information and knowledge pro- Complex. vider a major role in the learning and development process of a community. Another problem is the lack of modern teaching ap- A need for three more clinics/health care centers is estimated for proaches and therefore the low quality of teaching methods in some Wadi Musa until 2030 - based on an analysis of present ratios of schools within the community. medical facilities and population and an annual population growth of 3.5%. In addition to building new clinics, the currently existing hos- Furthermore, the study subjects at the schools and the university in pital is in need for more specialists, better equipment, as well as Wadi Musa are perceived as not enough related to the interest and expanded lab facilities for medical analyses. The women in Wadi needs of the students and the region, which would require develop- Musa - and in the Petra Region in general - are also in need for a ing for example hotel & tourism schools. Especially girls feel limited health center that provides specific services on reproductive health. when it comes to choosing their source of income, as their parents

Page 48 of 61 Overall, it is suggested to significantly improve the services of the cants are other important factors contributing to the comparatively health center. Of equal importance in order to ensure the best health high unemployment rate of women. As a result many women and service possible is that also public pharmacies are accessible it is young girl stay at home without any professional occupation despite therefore recommended to extend their opening hours in Wadi Mu- a frequently high level of education and the desire to work. However, sa. Excellent health care provisions in Wadi Musa are not only cru- women could work in areas where they have no or only indirect con- cial for the local population, but are also required for the develop- tact with tourists such as for instance in handicraft or jewelry produc- ment of Petra into a world-class tourism resort. Tourists need a cer- tion, in art galleries or in the fields of academic research as is de- tain degree of medical support and safety in order to fully enjoy their scribed in more detail in the section “Other economic activities”. stay in the Petra Region. Recommendations: A more detailed assessment of the health care needs of the Petra Region in general and Wadi Musa in particular is very much needed. • Develop other potential fields of employment not related to tourism such as in the academic field. Recommendations: • Initiate a specific program that is run for women as well as by women. This program could provide targeted help for women • Increase the awareness on women’s reproductive health, from the region to find suitable jobs. In addition, the PDTRA especially regarding the potentially negative effects of early could consider policies to motivate firms to employ women. marriages on female health. This could be done through specific programs run in the local health clinic. Potential Influence of Tourism on Traditions and Culture • Provide couples, who are intending to get married with a free Since the main entrance to PAP and most of the hotels and restau- medical test in the local clinic in order to check the possibility rants of the Petra Region are located in Wadi Musa, the local popu- of having mentally challenged children. This test is being lation is dealing on a daily basis with tourists. Therefore, the local provided in Amman and published through special programs community is exposed to many different cultural influences including done by religious leaders (of both Muslim & Christian faith) different types of behaviors and attitudes. Local women expressed and the Ministry of Health. their concerns about the impact of tourism on their children and a fear of losing their own values and traditions. This potential diminish- ing or in the worst case even disappearance of the local culture seems especially threatening as the unique Bedouin culture of the Discrimination region has been acknowledged by the UNESCO as an Intangible Due to cultural norms and traditions as well as due to the early exit Cultural Heritage. of women from labor force to start a family, women have a low participation rate in income earning activities in Wadi Musa in particular Recommendations: and in the Petra Region in general. The lack of suitable job opportunities for women and the discrimination against female job appli-

Page 49 of 61 • Involve the Wadi Musa population actively in the plans for their community and consider their wishes regarding the degree of their involvement in tourism, through highlighting the different types of involvement possible in tourism (e.g. direct and indirect involvement). • Raise the sensitivity of tourists that are coming to the Petra Region on ways to respect the local culture and traditions (e.g. ways to dress or to behave).

Page 50 of 61 WATER - WASTEWATER TREATMENT & RAINFALL

FLOODS Wastewater Treatment Water Supply Wadi Musa is connected to the sewer system. The current Waste Water supply within Jordan is regulated by the national government. Water Treatment Plant (WWTP) is designed to treat 3,400 cubic The per-capita water allotment in Maan Governorate for the year meters per day and with the projected generated wastewater rate of 2007 was 214 liter per day. Due to water scarcity in Jordan this rate 7,190 m3/d by the year 2030, this WWTP needs expansion to ac- may well be lowered. commodate another 3,800 m3/d. In addition, the main conveyer serving wastewater from Wadi Musa and the other communities to The water is currently supplied using ground water from the well the WWTP needs to be redesigned to accommodate the growing fields in the region such as Qaa Well Field. In order to satisfy the wastewater volumes. growing demand for water, other sources need to be explored. The following options have been studied or are under construction: Rainfall Floods The Wadi-Musa-Umm Sayhoun area is defined as according to the • The Disi Conveyer: The work on this project started at the Watersheds B1-B6, H and K. Catchment B is divided into six sub- beginning of 2010 and will likely be completed by the year catchments that merge to the West of Petra and drain down to Wadi 2012. The new conveyer that is built will supply Amman with Araba. The upper five sub-catchments have an area of about two groundwater from the Disi-Mudawarra groundwater aquifer in third of the total area of the catchment A and drain into the Siq, the South of Jordan. The route of this project will pass along causing floods in the rainy seasons. We propose building a series of the desert highway about 30km to the East of Petra Region retention or detention ponds and small check dams that can help in and building intake from the conveyer to PDTR may supply reducing the flooding through the Siq and storing water for agricul- water to the region. tural use. Also, a large part of the sub-catchments B5 and B1 are • Red-Dead Canal: This project foresees a canal from the Red urbanized areas (Wadi Musa) where most of the rainfall runs off. In Sea in Aqaba to the Dead Sea that will utilize gravity flow these areas, a good rainfall drainage system needs to be designed over most of the route. The hydropower will be used to gen- and implemented with detention ponds to limit the peak floods that erate electricity where part of that power will be used to de- will contribute to the flood in the Siq. salinate seawater or brackish water from Wadi Araba ground water aquifer. This project is still in the study phase. A flood protection and drainage system will become of great impor- • Developing existing or new ground water well fields. tance as the community of Wadi Musa grows. More open areas and fewer built areas would help to retain the runoff and increase water storage in the soil profiles. Additional research is recommended in terms of a hydrologic investigation to determine the amount of site coverage that can be accommodated in the area without creating site flooding in the Siq and other areas of Wadi Musa.

Page 51 of 61 Storm water Management A major issue in Wadi Musa is storm water management as wadis have been directed into box culverts which accelerate drainage flows and in some circumstances houses have been built directly in the wadis. Flooding in the Siq has already proven to be a major issue producing danger for visitors and damaging the archaeological sites. As further development in the community occurs, land coverage and runoff is further aggravating the situation. It is recommended to develop a comprehensive drainage plan for the community. This would include zoning of all wadi lands (including reasonable setbacks) as Environmental Protection Lands. In addition, other ac- tions should be taken including re-vegetation of the wadis as orchards, agricultural land or oak/pistachio forest, or other native vegetation. The construction of check dams and other impoundments should also be considered. In the future, bridges rather than box culverts should be utilized to avoid the acceleration of runoff into the valleys below. An increasing in allowed site coverage for development within the Petra Region should only occur if these drainage improvements and a master drainage plan are in place.

As the name implies, the founding of Wadi Musa was in many re- spects based upon the presence of water and the agriculture possible along these existing major drainages. In order to insure the quality of life of local residents, to enhance the tourist experience, and to improve storm water management within PAP, emphasis must be placed on preserving, restoring, and enhancing agricultural zoning within the community. The terraced orchards and gardens of Wadi Musa can provide a major interpretive theme in the Petra Region. Visitors to Petra quite logically will want to know how a civilization was able to survive and prospect in such an arid landscape. An entire interpretive concept should be built around this idea.

Page 52 of 61 Water Catchments in the Petra Region

Page 53 of 61 Page 54 of 61 ENERGY MANAGEMENT Energy use data with the PDTRA is not readily accessible. The An- nual Report of the Ministry of Energy and Mineral Resources indi- cates that the average per capita use of electricity in Jordan is 1,999 kilowatt hours per year, or roughly one fourth of energy usage in the United States or Western Europe. This average figure does not, however, consider the considerable demand placed upon the system by hotels and other tourism facilities.

Wadi Musa is connected to the regional electricity network; there are several electricity feeders and stations in the municipal area. Com- pared to the other communities in the Petra Region, Wadi Musa is quite well furnished with basic infrastructure and utilities in terms of electricity supply.

In the future, alternative energy sources shall be strongly focused on a contribution to turn Wadi Musa into an eco-friendly community.

The implementation of “green” buildings standards for all structures within Wadi Musa will place an emphasis on energy conservation and help to reduce peak demand. Consideration should be given to the creation of solar arrays and/or wind turbine energy generation to provide green energy to Wadi Musa. Such facilities should, however, be located out of view of visitors to the Petra Archaeological Park and Scenic Road.

The Master Strategy for the Energy Sector in Jordan (2007 to 2020) includes some recommendations on the rational use of energy and the utilization of renewable energies, which are also valid for Wadi Musa and the whole Petra Region and whose application is highly recommended.

Page 55 of 61 ENVIRONMENT The historic remains are plain evidence of sustainability: they still exist, and they are still working, despite the virtual absence of main-

For environment considerations the Wadi Musa area is defined ac- tenance or inputs for decades in some cases, for centuries in most. cording to the Watersheds B1 - B6, H and K shown in the graph on Adapting their design for use today is an obvious measure. Further- page 55. more, both the historic remains and the modern adaptations and innovations should be interpreted for the public. Soil Conservation/Erosion Control Soil conservation, erosion control and the effective banking of rain- There is no point in building huge protective structures designed for water are accomplished by exactly the same measures. Terracing catastrophic events which are generally useless for most of the time along the contour lines (i.e., perpendicular to runoff flow) achieves and which then turn out to be insufficient when an exceptional flood all of these desirable results. Such terracing, intensified within walk- does occur. It would be more appropriate to introduce a policy of ing distance of Wadi Musa community, actually creates a context for small-scale hydraulic works, repairing banks and barrages, protect- small-scale agriculture to develop organic/regional products for local ing the soil, preventing the formation of big floods by separately con- boutique restaurants and to develop small-scale farming of medicin- trolling the numerous tributaries and by holding back the water on al and aromatic plants. the slopes.

Recommendations: Policy ought to be developed to manage water harvesting in such a way that downstream landowners are not deprived by upstream cat- • Intensive terracing for small-scale agricultural plots within 500m chment. Likewise management of springs should be regulated so of settled areas. that springs on government lands may be exploited cooperatively, as are the waters of Ain Musa in Wadi Musa. The use of water from Rehabilitation and Re-Introduction of Historic Water Systems springs on private lands must also be regulated so that some water Throughout the region Nabataean and other historic water systems is released into the wadi systems to sustain the ecosystem and ran- (often including terracing) still exist and many remain partially effec- gelands downslope. tive today even in their current state of disrepair. The existing remains of dams, check-dams, cisterns, wells, channels and terraces Recommendations: are strong clues to local hydrology and present basic infrastructure, which can be inexpensively rehabilitated for effective water conser- • Upper watershed (above 985m asl): simple, low-intervention, vation. These measures supply high-quality water for small-scale broad-scale terracing based on existing terraces throughout the agriculture and animal husbandry – water that is now largely a region. wasted resource due to runoff. • Institute roof catchment and water harvesting infrastructure (channels, cisterns) as part of the entire Region's building codes.

Re-Vegetation and Range Management

Page 56 of 61 Reforestation/re-vegetation stabilizes slopes, creates shade, banks • Where local/intensive terracing and plot development is imple- rainwater, and creates contexts for tourism use while promoting bio- mented cultivate appropriate M&A species. diversity for a generally healthy ecosystem. The PAPOP guidelines • Relieve pressure from steppe/range by implementing broad already exist and are excellent, balancing the realities of conserva- scale range management measures. tion and environmental change. In order to halt the continuing exist- • Green the villages themselves with landscape plantings; street ing damage to the remaining forest and to protect reforestation ef- trees and improved public open spaces. forts, rangers must be hired and empowered to enforce existing fo- • Implement locally appropriate grazing and range management restry laws. The penalties especially for damage to old-growth trees regimes based on biomass and herd assessments. Allow Wadi needs to be intensified so that the penalty exceeds the value of the Musa livestock owners to graze upper watershed (al-Hisheh to firewood thus obtained. edge of Taybeh sub-region).

Managed grazing regimes protect sensitive ecosystem areas and Wildlife Protection sustainably exploit less sensitive areas. Zoning for tourism (inten- The wildlife – particularly mammals and game birds – of the Petra sive, medium, light use areas, designated and managed picnic Region is extremely endangered. A program of education of the lo- areas) will create a more efficient context for trash and services cal population about the importance of fauna to the ecosystem – management, will protect sensitive ecosystem areas and will exploit including, for example, the importance of the Region's largely harm- less sensitive areas in a sustainable way. Charging for services in less snakes to rodent control – is urgently needed. Hunting wildlife, a international tourist areas could subsidize picnic areas for local tour- popular local pastime, must be strictly forbidden and penalties suffi- ism ciently severe and enforced to make the ban effective.

Within the context of tourism zoning, the development of trails The feral dog population is uncontrolled. Feral dogs run in large creates infrastructure for extended stay activities, e.g., hikes, rides, packs and exert an acute pressure on the region's wildlife. They at- camps and lodges and defines where horses, pack animals, hikers tack horseback riders and intimidate hikers. There has been at- and vehicles respectively, will be allowed or disallowed. In addition, tempts to control the feral dog plague by poisoning them, which en- road construction and unregulated off-road driving should be strictly dangers other mammals. As distasteful as hunting the dogs may be, prohibited to avoid further negative impact on soils and vegetation. such a measure certainly has precedents (such as the licensed hunting of mule deer in California state parks and U.S. National Fo- Recommendations: rests that proved successful). It would also be useful to institute animal control regulations, which require licensing and promote sterili- • Where broad-scale, low-intervention terracing is implemented zation of working dogs and pets, with the appropriate exceptions. (outside municipal development area and not including agricultural land), vegetation should be allowed to recover naturally or, Recommendations: based on what is present in the seed bank, seed upper slopes.

Page 57 of 61 • The feral dog problem is acute in the Wadi Musa area, as well as within PAP. Measures taken to license and neuter owned animals and dispose of unclaimed animals. • Shifting the focus on animal interaction to more rural communities would help to create a cleaner environment in the more urbanized areas of Wadi Musa.

Use Management Due to the high numbers of visitors and locals coming to the PAP and its immediate surroundings everyday, it is crucial to ensure an effective waste management in order to protect the environment from additional pollution.

Recommendations:

• Manage waste collection and disposal throughout the Park. • Define and enforce picnic areas and develop basic services, e.g., bathrooms, waste disposal bins, water, fire pits, controlled firewood sales etc. • Charge visitors from outside the Region for picnic spots and use the proceeds to maintain the picnic areas.

Page 58 of 61 PETRA ARCHAEOLOGICAL PARK climax vegetation recovery, and only within the guidelines of the Petra Archaeological Park Operating Plan. This section deals with specific environmental measures for the Pe- tra Archaeological Park, which is a special case due to the compli- Integrated Restoration of Wadi Mataha cating issue of the antiquities remains. The Wadi Mataha project is a pilot example of the possibilities of achieving an archaeologically and environmentally integrated type of Decorative plantation of local trees and shrubs within the Petra rehabilitation with strong social values through the involvement of Archaeological Park (PAP) the local population as employees and managers. The aim of the project is to restore the system of water conducts in the terraces and Special effort should be made within the PAP to realize two objec- gardens and to make an inhabited environment of ancient Petra tives: worth visiting. The diverting dams and cisterns and cultivation of 1. To reduce dust and soil erosion; Wadi Mataha need to be be re-activated. Bidouls from Umm Say- 2. To improve the aesthetic quality of the monuments’ environ- houn should be responsible for managing maintaining and cultivating ment. the area that they may also exploit economically for tourism and agriculture. The highly prestigious project will provide an added at- There is evidence that the natural vegetation was much more lush traction for a visit to Petra. before the tourists came, especially within the Siq. In restricted areas, attractive small wild gardens could be established, as for ex- Garden Triclinium Cleaning and Presentation ample hanging gardens, to benefit from and emphasize the natural The cistern of the garden triclinium is a wonderful example of Naba- rocky forms and topography. Several local species can be used, but taean hydraulic skills. Its partial excavation, consolidation and resto- Oleander would be the most suitable species for planting the wadi ration will make it easier for visitors to understand the exploitation of courses. The major touristic foot trails should be treated first. water resources during Nabataean times. This project includes the rehabilitation of the access stairway to the cistern, parts of which In order to control erosion, a large-scale re-forestation program have worn away, the restoration of the pool below the dam, the should be foreseen with rain-fed tree plantations, with support of cleaning of the water channel system and a partial reconstruction of additional watering only if required at the early stage. In some cases, the dam close to the upper triclinium. The entrance to the cistern fruit trees are recommended be planted in order to achieve a better should be provided with a gate in order to control access by animals acceptance by the population. Local tree species like juniper, pista- and visitors. chio, carob, oak should be given priority. Exotic species like Acacia Cyclops, and Acacia Cyanophylla should be avoided, except on very degraded lands where – in a second phase – they could facilitate

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Page 60 of 61 LIST OF ABBREVIATIONS AHU Al-Hussein Bin Talal University asl Above Sea Level B&B Bed & Breakfast CBRR Community-Based Rangeland Rehabilita- tion DOS Department of Statistics of the Hashemite Kingdom of Jordan GIS Geological Information System ICT Information and Communication Technolo- gy IT Information Technology JOD Jordanian Dinar M&A Medical & Aromatic NGO Non-Governmental Organization PAP Petra Archaeological Park PAPOP Petra Archaeological Park Operational Plan PDTR Petra Development and Tourism Region PDTRA Petra Development and Tourism Region Agency PNT Petra National Trust R&D Research and Development RSCN Royal Society for Conservation of Nature RTF Regional Transportation Facility SWOT Strengths, Weaknesses, Opportunities and Threats UNESCO United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization WWTP Waste Water Treatment Plant

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