Tourism Minister: Work Is Underway on Multiple Fronts to Promote the Baptism Site

Al-Taj News –

Minister of Tourism and Antiquities Imad Hijazin said that the directives of His Royal Highness Crown Prince Al Hussein bin Abdullah II regarding improving the experience of Christian pilgrims and visitors to the Baptism Site included two main areas: the first is preparing the site to receive the expected numbers of pilgrims and visitors, and the second is intensifying global marketing and promotion of the Baptism Site and religious sites in Jordan as a major destination for Christian pilgrimage.

Hijazin added, in remarks to Al-Mamlaka, that the Crown Prince’s visit to the Baptism Site today came to closely review the services provided to visitors and examine the stages they go through, including the Visitors’ Center, the Baptism Site, and the Jordan River.

He explained that the visit reflects the great attention Jordan attaches to the Baptism Site and the implementation of the directives of His Majesty King Abdullah II, following his endorsement of the initiative of local churches to celebrate the second millennium of the baptism of Christ in the Jordan River.

Hijazin pointed out that the directives included not waiting until 2030 to carry out the required work, stressing the need to complete the services that tourists or pilgrims need during their experience at the site.

He explained that this includes developing services at the Visitors’ Center, including shops and providing services such as a cafeteria, in addition to completing the construction of unfinished churches, so that the visitor or pilgrim has an integrated experience from the moment they arrive at the site until the end of their visit.

Regarding the promotion of the Baptism Site, Hijazin said that work is underway on multiple fronts, foremost among them developing the Baptism Site’s website to serve as a center for receiving tourists’ inquiries and answering them.

He added that the ministry is also working to strengthen its partnership with churches in Jordan and communicate with churches around the world, in addition to communicating with church pilgrimage bodies, to benefit from the conferences, events, and activities organized by these entities.

He noted that the ministry has begun working on communicating with church leaders and has also held a meeting with the Council of Churches in Jordan, explaining that work is underway while awaiting each church to submit its work program for religious occasions, events, and activities it intends to hold during the coming period through 2030.

His Royal Highness Crown Prince Al Hussein bin Abdullah II, during his visit to the Baptism Site of Jesus Christ (Al-Maghtas) on Monday, directed improvements to the experience of Christian pilgrims and visitors to the site.

During the visit, which was accompanied by His Royal Highness Prince Ghazi bin Muhammad, Chief Adviser to His Majesty the King for Religious and Cultural Affairs, His Majesty’s Personal Envoy, and Chairman of the Board of Trustees of the Baptism Site Commission, His Royal Highness reviewed the services provided to pilgrims and visitors.

The Crown Prince stressed the importance of planning to prepare for the celebration of the second millennium of the baptism of Jesus Christ in 2030 in a manner that reflects the historical significance of the occasion and the site, and affirms the Kingdom’s position as a global destination for Christian pilgrimage.

His Royal Highness pointed to the need to further promote the Baptism Site of Jesus Christ, in coordination with the Ministry of Tourism and Antiquities, the Jordan Tourism Board, and all partners.

The Tourism Minister explained that there is a high-level steering committee, chaired by the Prime Minister, comprising ministers, four heads of churches in Jordan, and representatives of various churches and the private sector. The committee began its work about a month ago, and specialized subcommittees for infrastructure, communications, marketing, church affairs, and other areas emerged from it.

Hijazin pointed out that planning also includes facilitating the pilgrimage route and providing the necessary services for the elderly and people with disabilities at the Baptism Site.

He noted that following the launch of the work of the high-level committee on August 10, projects worth $120 million were signed two days later, covering infrastructure, the Pilgrims’ Village, and the museum.

He stressed that the work is not limited to presenting the Baptism Site, but aims to present Jordan as a destination for Christian religious pilgrimage, with the Baptism Site considered the main site, as it is the site from which Christ’s message on earth began.

Hijazin said that the partnership with churches represents the “backbone” for positioning Jordan as a major point on the map of Christian religious pilgrimage sites in the world, and not only in the region.

He pointed out that the ministry continues to work with churches in Jordan and their counterparts around the world, in addition to their pilgrimage bodies, to benefit from religious conferences, events, and activities in promoting the Baptism Site and Jordan as a destination for Christian pilgrimage.

The number of visitors to the Baptism Site of Jesus Christ, “Al-Maghtas,” from January through last August reached 51,140 visitors, including 36,105 foreigners, 7,988 Jordanians, and 7,047 Arabs, according to Ministry of Tourism data reviewed by Al-Mamlaka.

According to ministry figures, foreign visitors accounted for 70.6% of the total number of visitors, while Jordanians accounted for 15.6% and Arabs for 13.8%.

The ministry noted t