Jordan Times
Friday, April 4, 2008
USAID grants to finance
upgrade of Petra tourism services
By Taylor Luck
AMMAN - Several community-based organizations, hotels and restaurants in Petra
received $172,000 in USAID grants this week to better accommodate the area’s
growing number of visitors.
Approximately 14 grants, ranging between $12,000 and $45,000, were awarded to
improve the range and quality of tourism products and services, create new and
improved handicrafts and raise awareness about Petra’s significance and its
potential as a source of income.
The grants are part of cooperation between the Ministry of Tourism and
Antiquities, the USAID/Jordan Tourism Development Project (JTDP), the Petra
Archaeological Park Council, local communities and the private sector to improve
the visitor experience in Petra.
“We are working with USAID to upgrade the Petra experience and local communities
and businesses play a big role in that,” Minister of Tourism Maha Khatib said at
a signing ceremony in Petra earlier this week.
“These grants will encourage investment in tourism services and products as well
as help local residents benefit from the site, while at the same time
contributing to its conservation,” she noted.
The model is based on similar initiatives in Madaba and Wadi Rum in recent
years, which have brought the respective local communities together to create
jobs and generate income from the growing tourism sector.
The Petra grants are divided into funds for non- profit local cooperatives and
enterprise grants for existing establishments to upgrade their services,
according to USAID Chief of Party Ibrahim Osta.
The grant for the Beit Al Anbat Society in Wadi Musa will go to computerize and
automate production and design, allowing the society to create more complex and
varied patterns as well as enhance the group’s marketing and financial system.
The Ammarin community will receive a grant for handicraft development, marketing
the camp, tour guide training and equipment so that they can accommodate those
looking for adventure and ecotourism.
The Nabataean Women’s cooperative of Wadi Musa will use the grant to renovate
their retail shop, upgrade the quality and design of their silver products and
enhance marketing efforts.
Another grant was awarded to the Um Saihoun Women’s Tourism Cooperative to
develop income-generating projects for local residents, while the Taybeh Women’s
Cooperative will use the grant to upgrade its pottery workshop and improve
design and marketing.
Several area hotels received enterprise grants to upgrade infrastructure and
train staff to meet the new classification system being adopted by the ministry.
The Elgee, Al Anbat II, Venus and Sunset hotels will upgrade rooms and renovate
kitchen equipment to be elevated to 1-star status, while the Petra Inn Hotel
will implement similar upgrades to meet the 2-star classification.
Meanwhile, the Petra Zaman, Red Cave and Oriental restaurants received
enterprise grants to renovate kitchens, upgrade food preparation equipment and
refurbish restrooms.
An equally important component, according to Osta, is a comprehensive training
package to run parallel to the physical upgrades.
Under the programs, coordinated by the ministry and USAID/JTDP, area residents
will receive training in hospitality skills, customer service, English language
and food hygiene and preparation. The ministry and USAID are also preparing a
program to train tourist police on how to interact with tourists.
A record number of tourists visited the ancient Nabataean city last year, with
arrivals topping 580,000, a 62 per cent increase compared to 2006.