Jordan invites travellers to “walk through history”
ITB Berlin News spoke with Hakim Al-Tamimi, Assistant Marketing Director for European Markets & Eco and Adventure Tourism Unit Head for the Jordan Tourism Board, about Jordan’s vast adventure offer on display at the show this year.
What are some standout adventure experiences Jordan is currently promoting?
Canyoning experiences, like most of the adventure activities available in the Kingdom, offer an opportunity to enjoy the rich natural landscape as well as visit historically significant sites such as a watchtower from the Ammonite Empire or settlements from the Iron Age. The climate and warmth of the water means that travellers don’t have to worry about 12mm wetsuits, making the experience more flexible and enjoyable for everyone.
Some very exciting news is the memorandum of understanding we signed with the government of Galicia, Spain in January. This twins our religious trail in Jordan, “The Egeria Way” or the “Camino de Egeria” with the famous Spanish pilgrimage route “Camino de Santiago”.
This agreement seeks to unify the two Christian pilgrimage routes, celebrating the shared cultural and religious heritage of both countries. There are plans to have members of the Galician government come to Jordan and install one of the famous Camino de Santiago shells on the Egeria Way.
The Egeria Way has a rich heritage behind it, making it fascinating for both religious scholars and history buffs. Egeria, a 4th-century Spanish-Galician Christian pilgrim nun, is recognised as one of the first documented female explorers in history. Her writings chronicle her pilgrimage to the Holy Land, including Jordan, providing insights into sacred sites like Mount Nebo, the Baptism Site of Jesus (Bethany in Jordan), and other historical locations along the Egeria Way. Starting in Madaba, the Egeria Route stretches 66 km all the way to Bethany. It is accessible all year round, but spring and autumn are recommended as the most comfortable seasons for hiking
Hikers of the Egeria Way can enjoy a spiritual and cultural experience where they can connect with local communities, enjoy authentic Jordanian hospitality, and explore the deep-rooted Christian heritage of the region.
In some ways, Egeria was the first female solo traveller. Of course she was not entirely on her own, but when it comes to adventure travel in Jordan, it shows that there is a long history there.
The annual Jordan Trail thru hike in October has become a key highlight for adventure enthusiasts around the world. Could you share some details about this event?
The Jordan Trail Association organises an annual thru hike in October in cooperation with the local communities along the trail. This includes all the logistics such as setting up camp, preparing the food, ensuring that there is good service in the campsite, transferring the campsite from one place to another, etc.
The thru hike is a nice way of connecting hikers from around the world who come and decide to hike together. International hikers are also joined by locals from Jordan, and it becomes a very communal activity.
Hiking the Jordan Trail is not just walking in nature, it’s walking through history and meeting everyone along the way. When you walk the Jordan Trail, there’s a few days hike between Petra and Wadi Rum where you pass through the remains of archaeological sites. It’s a truly unique experience.
What is the strategy behind the recent introduction of the experiences section on the Jordan Tourism Board website? What do you hope the impact of this will be?
The aim of the renovation of this webpage is to direct end users to the real experiences and show them what kinds of adventures are available in Jordan, such as hiking the Jordan trail, or canyoning in wadi hasa, or even having a cooking experience at a local house or company. We want to showcase that the destination is not only the beauty of nature or the archeological sites but also adventures that build a closer connection with the land, culture and local community.
Can you tell us about some of the JTB’s sustainability initiatives?
Jordan is also working towards a carbon-offsetting programme for travellers that will involve planting Carob trees. In an agreement between the Jordan Ministry of Agriculture and an NGO, the programme should be live by the end of the year and offer travellers a calculator on the website.
