Minister of Tourism and Antiquities Imad Hijazin said that the tender for the restoration of the Umm Qais heritage village will be issued before the end of this year, while work on the restoration of the Umm Qais Museum will begin early next year, as part of an integrated program to rehabilitate one of Jordan's most prominent archaeological sites and enhance its tourism readiness.
The ministry is working on a comprehensive development plan for tourist areas in the north of the Kingdom, including Jerash, Irbid, Umm Qais and neighboring environmental and heritage sites, as part of an integrated governmental approach to raise the efficiency of cultural and tourism infrastructure in the governorates, Hijazin said in a statement to the Kingdom on Sunday evening.
He pointed out that northern Jordan attracts 80% of tourists coming from the Gulf countries, making investment in this region a national priority, stressing the continued coordination with Royal Jordanian to attract more tourists from the Gulf region, especially towards the Golden Triangle (Aqaba, Wadi Rum and Petra) during the winter season, which is characterized by its mild weather in the south of the Kingdom.
Prime Minister Jaafar Hassan directed on Sunday to maintain and rehabilitate the Umm Qais Museum and expedite the implementation of the restoration plan for the heritage village, in order to enhance the site's presence on the Jordanian tourism map.
