Introduction

While Jordan is very well-known country among international visitors for its heritage, development has been largely focussed at certain well-known archaeological sites such as Petra and Jarash (ancient Gerasa). Yet Jordan has an abundance of historical and cultural resources ranging from traditional Jordanian (Ottoman-period) architecture, to modern cultural centres. There are therefore many archaeological sites and heritage places which bear witness to Jordan’s history that can be presented for tourist utilization, in order to reveal the national heritage of Jordan. As a result, archaeological-based tourism is one of the most rapidly developing tourism modes in Jordan, as a contributor to the country’s economy, drawing the attention of national and international tourists alike (Ababneh 2015).

Although Jordan has to a certain degree developed heritage tourism at key archaeological sites as noted already, it can be criticized for neglecting other significant archaeological sites. The other sites, such as the one discussed in this paper, lack basic identification and assessment of their heritage potentialities that they can bear. As a result provincial archaeological sites receive visitors infrequently and tourists only for specific occasions and during very short seasons and periods. Yet Jordan, with its limited natural resources, is seeking to develop its tourism appeal to enhance its economy (NTS 2011) even though the current heritage and tourism management processes do not offer adequate consideration for the country’s tourism and heritage potential (tourism development is still not as significant as it could be in respect of the country’s tourism potential). This situation had arisen owing to a number of factors, such as insufficient infrastructural development, poor tourism facilities and service in the destinations, and the lack of clear identification of new potential tourism sites which might relieve the tourism pressures on the main tourism key sites of the country such as the World Heritage Sites of Petra and Wadi Rum. Umm el-Jimal, which is the subject of this research, is one of those archaeological sites in Jordan that has not yet received full national attention in terms of heritage management and tourism development. Yet, unexpectedly it is also one of the least understood in respect of assessment, evaluation, protection and management. In spite of the certainty that Umm el-Jimal is gifted with rich and considerable potential of heritage and tourism resources, the nearby community members are not engaged in site-based tourism activities due to different reasons, the most important of which is that the tourism potentials of the site have not so far been wholly assessed.

Exploring the sites’ potential is indispensable in order to endorse awareness among nationals and gain a better understanding for its future use. In academic terms, very few studies in Jordan have been undertaken to assess and examine the tourism potential of archaeological sites. There is a need of a study that aims to disclose and highlight the diverse heritage and tourism potentials of the archaeological sites, and also to investigate the challenges confronting the development of the tourism sector at the archaeological site such as Umm el-Jimal. Based on this background, the reasons why the site has not yet been developed are worth investigating. As a result, identification of its potentials is a requirement for prospect management and the development of heritage tourism. The purpose of this study is to reveal the heritage tourism potential of the archaeological site of Umm el-Jimal. The research questions aim to investigate (a) the particular potentials of the site for heritage tourism, (b) the current regime of heritage tourism management and (c) how these potentials can be employed for heritage tourism development. Thus, the originality of this study stems from the reality that this is among the first studies attempting to assess the tourism potential of the site of Umm el-Jimal so it can be listed on the Jordanian tourism map. On the one hand, the findings are believed to be indispensable in providing a useful platform to benefit both stakeholders; the heritage managers and promoters of heritage tourism. At the same time, there is no doubt that the potential identification of heritage resources is considered as one of the first steps in heritage management planning (ICOMOS Australia 1979; Feilden and Jokilehto 1993; Sullivan 1997; Demas 2002). In this regard, careful identification and assessment of the site inherent potentials are crucial for heritage site management and tourism development.

Literature Review

Before initiating the assessment of tourism potential for a given area, it is important to know what does the terms ‘tourism potential’ and ‘tourism resource’ mean. The term ‘tourism potential’ is generally used and recognized in the tourism field; nevertheless, it sometimes seen as a sort of mixture as it potentially expresses a number of territorial competences that relates to a more narrowly defined area (Mamun and Mitra 2012). Thus, tourism potential focuses on the mainly important elements consisting of natural and cultural heritage, that is to say the status of symbol, uniqueness, historic value, state of degradation/repair, as well as the environment, location, access, tourism activity, aesthetical values and types of impacts (McKercher and Du Cros 2009). Formica (2000) suggested that the terms ‘potential’ and ‘attractiveness’ could be used interchangeably, as the latter term reveals the relationship between tourism demand and supply. Glăvan (2006) defines tourism potential as ‘the sum of possibilities that the natural and social environment puts at disposal of tourism activities’. This study adopts the term potential as it can be considered as a synonym of attractiveness. Besides tourism potential, tourism resource is yet another interesting term. According to Hall (2007) tourism resource is: component of the environment (physical or social) which either attracts the tourist and/or provides the infrastructure necessary for the tourist experience (Hall 2007:34).

The heritage tourism and heritage management literature highlight the relationship between archaeological sites and heritage tourism (McKercher and Ho 2006a, b; Girard and Nijkamp 2009; Ababneh 2015; Rogerson and Szymańska 2014). Heritage tourism is connected to heritage resources in general and archaeological sites in particular (Lasanky and McLaren 2004). Archaeological sites have long been an important component of heritage tourism and heritage management (Chhabra 2010; Ababneh 2015). Traditionally, visits to archaeological sites and heritage resources are usually understood as cultural tourism in a broader sense or heritage tourism in specific (Graham et al. 2016). The National Trust for Historic Preservation defines heritage tourism as “travel to experience the places and activities that authentically represent the stories and peoples of the past and present. It includes irreplaceable historic, cultural and natural resources’ (National Trust for Historic Preservation 2005, 2008a, b). Heritage tourism, is described by different scholars (Timothy and Boyd 2006; Park 2014; Christou 2005) as one of the most prevalent types of tourism in the world, in addition, heritage tourism is directly linked to cultural tourism (Edgell 2006; Merwe 2014). Fyall and Garrod (1998) defines heritage tourism as an economic activity that makes use of sociocultural assets to attract visitors. Silberberg (1995, p. 361) supports the view of Fyall and Garrod (1998) that heritage tourism is ‘visits by persons from outside the host community motivated wholly or in part by interest in the historical, artistic, and scientific or lifestyle/heritage offerings of the community, region, group or institution’.

Thus, the presence of archaeological sites can be considered as vital venues for tourism due to their important role in levering profitable potentials. They are considered by different researchers (Goeldner et al. 2000; WTO 2003; Laws and Pan 2004) as a tourism and travel motivator, but they are not enough alone because existence of services and facilities installed and dedicated to welcome tourists is an essential component of visitor experience (Swarbrooke 2007; Garrod and Fyall 2000). Ashworth and Tunbridge (2000) have distinguished between ‘primary resources’ and ‘secondary resources’. The former resources are those attract and motivate visitors to visit the destination such as the site itself and its features, where the latter resources support them during their stay such as the accommodation and food and beverage.

In order to determine site potentials of a heritage place, it is necessary to assess both tangible and intangible resources of the asset (Zeppel and Hall 1992; Demas 2000, 2002; Godfrey and Clarke 2000). For any destination to be developed as a tourism attraction, several factors are demanded here, such as its aptitude and ability of offering what meet tourists’ prospects, the availability of infrastructure built around this offer, and most importantly, its ability to cope with the potential negative effects of tourism development (Bucurescu 2012). Furthermore, Cooper and Hall (2008) make out four types of tourism resources attracting tourists to a destination: first are resources in the form of physical and cultural attractions to induce people to visit. Second are those in the form of facilities and services, including human resources, that enable them to stay at the destination. The third come in the form of infrastructure and services that makes the destination as well as all the other various attractions, facilities and services within them accessible. And finally is the information provision so the consumer really knows about the destination and its resources. Pedersen (2002) suggests a number of elements that have to be considered when assessing the potential of heritage sites for tourism purposes such as: the site features and attractions, infrastructure, history and the potential activities at the site. The assessment of archaeological sites includes considerations such as the history and the attraction’s quality, services and facilities, interpretation and presentation as well as the associated environment of the site. In addition, in order to develop heritage sites for tourism purposes, on-site information and data are crucial and critical. Pearson and Sullivan (1995) recommend that it is necessary to assess all the information relevant to the site which serves to build a better understanding of it and its story. This information may include: the uniqueness of the asset, its cultural significance, and its research potential (scientific value) and economic appeal. McKercher and du Cros (2002) states that heritage sites that should be developed for tourism purposes should have different features including (a) they are known beyond the local community; (b) they provide experiences that can be consumed; (c) they are interesting and unique; (d) they are robust enough to cater for tourists; (e) they can absorb visitation; (f) they are accessible; and (g) they provide strong appeal to tourists.

Assessing the potential of a cultural heritage site and its development are very important aspects especially when preparing a management plan. Understanding the potentials of a heritage site is an indispensable element of site management. Different studies have indicated that potential evaluation of heritage sites is an essential constituent prior to the development and management of heritage sites. Revealing heritage site potentials is most valuable for the management of heritage attractions. Nevertheless, evaluation of tourism potentials has always been a very hard task (Cleere 2005; Ababneh 2015). Accordingly, understanding this potential provides the appropriate means of harnessing support for site development and management. According to different heritage management plans, good understanding of the heritage site’s potentials informs us what we are managing and developing (Sullivan 1997; Feilden and Jokkilehto 1993; Burra charter 1999; Doumas 2013). Boniface (1995) provided three reasons that are more likely to be behind producing an attraction for tourism purposes: first reason is to make a cultural item attractive in itself only in order to produce revenue for its repair and maintenance. The second reason is to create a focus of attraction by connection with surrounding areas that may have a greater aspect of attractiveness, and a final reason for producing an attraction is to serve as a diversion from a visitor-overloaded heritage asset elsewhere.

There is a need to build up an ample appraisal of site potentials, a highly identified and managed archaeological site will be an attraction that draws the attention of visitors (Li et al. 2008, p. 308). Against this background, it must be borne in mind that the process of site development is negatively impacted by a flawed appraisal of the tourism potential at a destination. An invalid evaluation of the site potentials will add to the divide between the reality of the site and its future development. Truthful potential assessment will lead to satisfactory assessment of its values, correct protection measures, relevant interpretive themes and suitable market appeal. Thus, a delicate balance needs to be maintained between site potentials and a clear-cut assessment on the one hand. Though literature on heritage tourism and heritage management clearly identifies the significance of potential assessment and different studies have identified some key challenges that may influence heritage sites potentials, an empirical study conducted by Caffyn and Lutz (1999) revealed that: remoteness, isolation and location heritage sites in marginal areas might affect its attractiveness. Moreover, criticisms of tourism on sites in developing countries have focussed on particular issues including unplanned and excessive urban growth and mixed land use (Al-Kheder and Khresat 2007), lack of incorporation with other local economic sectors, spatially uneven and unequal development, in addition to the matter of increasing inequalities and differences in local areas as the major attention is given to the main focal points of the countries (Brohman 1996; Drost 1996; Wall 1997; Aas et al. 2005). In contrast, the Tourism Council of Australia (1998) asserted that the main factors of success of heritage sites include: their locations, accessibility to the market and their capacity to identify potential competitive advantages. However, it is crucial to ensure that site custodians create a wide range of experiences (Seng Ooi 2005). It may be argued therefore that site manager needs to understand the complexities of site attributes in order to develop and maximize tourism potential that will be part of the attractiveness of the site. In this context McArthur and Hall (1998, p. 87) stated that heritage attractions are “means of contemplating, reflecting and discovering what is important to them”. It can be assumed that the assessment of tourism potential of any heritage assets is based on their most significant elements that must be evaluated in terms of heritage tourism planning. These elements, as established by McKercher and du Cros (2002), are determined on three levels. The first and most important level is the site’s broader context. The second focuses on the on-site setting. And a final level is to assess its specific issues. The potentials of heritage sites in Jordanian North Eastern desert have, however, received very little attention from academics. Some studies have highlighted different heritage-related subjects (Al-Kheder and Khresat 2007), but hardly any have considered Umm el-Jimals’ heritage and its tourism potential.

Methodology

The key focus of the study is to unveil the potentials of a heritage site for the development of heritage tourism. This research used a case study of an archaeological heritage site in Jordan at Umm el-Jimal, in the north-east of the country. It adopts a theoretical approach through reviewing the literature about Umm el-Jimal, in addition to the fid visit and site description. The components of the critical approach include background and historic research, as well as on-site fieldwork. Historic research is used to collect background information that is helpful for assessing the potential of the historical monuments, structures and surrounding environment in Umm el-Jimal while the field study was used to investigate the reasons why the development of heritage tourism is constrained. The assessment of the tourism potential of heritage assets involves the physical, tangible, social and environmental aspects available at the site. During site observation, the authors recorded different details such as the architectural style and integrity of historical buildings and their state of conservation, deterioration factors and features at the site, the availability of on-site information, the provision of interpretive media and related visitor facilities such as the visitor centre, on-site trails and ongoing excavation work using different evaluation sheets. The taking of photographs and video recording during site visits helped future data analysis.

The researchers conducted discussions and meetings with heads of tourism and antiquity staff, community leaders, site experts from tourism and antiquity offices to get first-hand information about tourism potentials of the site and its environs. Data obtained from the different approaches were recorded on proforma sheets, and then the data were summarized and analysed with regard to the aims of the study. The evaluation process included two phases, namely analysis of the current situation and diagnosis that covers the main assets to enable the development of heritage tourism at the site.

Background, Umm el-Jimal

Umm el-Jimal is located approximately 70 km north-east of Amman (Figure 1) and just south of the Syrian borders (southern Hauran). Its strategic location puts it at the crossing of the cultures of Arabia to the south and Syria to the north. Currently, the site is located within Al Mafraq city administration and the site is bounded by the town of Umm el-Quttein to the east and Qasr el-Ba’ij to the north. The semi-arid area of the Southern Hauran in which the site is located, at the western part of Badiya region of Jordan, is famous for its igneous rock basalt (the Umm el-Jimal Project and Open Hand Studios. 2012, p. 18).

Figure 1
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Source: authors based on Sekhaneh

Location of Umm el-Jimal.

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Umm el-Jimal is endowed with impressive historical and cultural heritages (Brown 2009a, b; de Vries 1998; Horsfield 1937; Al-Shorman et al. 2017). It was occupied from approximately the 1st to the 8th centuries (de Vries 1979). Following Queen Zenobia of Palmyra’s rebellion against Rome around 270 AD, the town was rebuilt as a military station on the fortified frontier of the Roman Empire and played a significant military role due to its strategic geographic position overseeing the main communication roads between Syria and Arabia: the Strata Diocletiana and the Via Nova Traiana (De Vries 1990). The town also flourished as an agricultural and commercial centre (www.ummeljimal.org). By the sixth century, following the conversion to Christianity, fifteen churches had been constructed in the town. The presence of numerous churches is a witness that the city flourished in the Byzantine Empire (the Umm el-Jimal Project and Open Hand Studios. 2012). This prosperity continued after the Muslim takeover, though an eighth century onslaught of earthquake, war and diseases led to an abandonment of the town, until Syrian Druze families and local Bedouins resettled it in the early twentieth century. In addition to the religious architecture, the city also has well preserved evidence of rural domestic architecture from the late antique (4th–9th centuries AD) that make it one of the best examples of its kind in the Mediterranean region (Brown 2009a, b). Excavations demonstrated that Umm el-Jimal witnessed essentially one period of incessant occupation and is, therefore, exceptionally important for the reconstruction of the region’s history. Inscriptions found at the town indicate that the community was bilingual (Nabataean–Greek) (De Vries 1990). The stratigraphy of the city covers the transition from Roman imperial to the early Byzantine conditions on the Arabian frontiers (De Vries 2009a, b). At the end of the Ummayyad period, the site was destroyed by earthquake and was not rebuilt again. More remarkably, the city had received no concerns nor any attention as the seat of the government shifted to Baghdad under the Abbasid Caliphs (De Vries 1979). The site witnessed a gradual abandonment during the ninth century, mainly in the Abbasid era, due to different factors. However, the site was re-occupied by Druze refugees escaping from Syria and later from Lebanon in the early twentieth century (Brown 2009a, b). After 1932 the city was abandoned again by the Druze and some tribes came to settle in the city for seasonal grazing and made the antiquities a part of their community.

Umm el-Jimal attracted the attention and interest of travellers who visited Bilad el-Sham since the nineteenth century. Graham described the features of Umm el-Jimal in his brief description (Butler 1913, p. 213). The archaeological site was excavated by the archaeologist De Vries who presented it as “a symbol of the real life of Rome’s subjects” (De Vries 1993). It comprises a treasury of remains that makes it of high touristic potential. Its ruins include more than 150 structures of black basalt stones, some of which are still standing with three storeys high, evidence indicates that the site had mansions and towers of even six storeys high. The site includes remains of Roman Barracks and Fort Complex, a Roman city wall and praetorium (an official governor’s residence), and there is also an outstanding system of water channels and reservoirs (Al-Ansari and Al-Hanbaly 2013; Al-Shorman et al. 2017) that extend up to three miles into the surrounding countryside. The site also has a wealth of inscriptions in different languages such as: Nabataean, Greek, Latin and Arabic. The site also contains a large amount of fragmented mortar and concrete. To sum up, the city spans several significant periods in the region’s history from the first till the 20th century, including the ancient Nabataean, Roman, Byzantine and Islamic periods (Al-Shorman et al. 2017). Its presence in the locale has been aptly summed up, in 1913, by the American archaeologist Butler who wrote: “Far out in the desert there is a deserted city all of basalt, [rising] black and forbidding from the grey of the plain” (p. 149).

The Analytical Context

The following analytical framework is intended to depict the potentials of Umm el-Jimal’s heritage and issues that represent the constraints as well as the prospects.

Present Situation at Umm el-Jimal

Current Tourism and Heritage Context

Umm el-Jimal has a wealthy endowment of cultural and natural heritage resources which offer a strong platform for tourism (Al-Shorman et al. 2017). The core of the site is the mixture of heritage resources, namely the archaeological heritage, the geographic setting and the living heritage of the local community. The site has a very long historic span ranging from classical periods to late antiquity reflecting the varied cultures represented by their ruins and products (De Vries 1990). The 30 ha. of the archaeological site of Umm el-Jimal embodies a complex ensemble of archaeological monuments comprising the traces of residential houses, defensive monuments, hydraulic system, churches, burial sites and other archaeological, historical and cultural monuments from different historic periods, particularly Greek, Roman Nabataean Byzantine and Islamic epochs. It is an important testimony to more than two millennia of human settlements in north-east desert of Jordan (Kennedy 2014).

A major potential of the site is attached to its natural setting; it is located in a natural landscape unharmed by human urban impacts. A distinctive feature of the ensemble of heritage resources is that they are not isolated monuments; they are combined with the geographic setting and proximity to the modern city of Umm el-Jimal which itself contains a variety of cultural assets, ecosystems and entrenched communities. The composition experience of daily life in Umm el-Jimal and neighbouring villages (Umm el-Qutain, Umm es-surab) is made by Bedouins and farmers with the different sources of livelihood such as livestock keeping, crop cultivation in addition to different skills that rooted in their culture (eg. hand-made carpets, engraving basalt stone objects) as well their own symbols of culture (eg. Bedouin cuisines, marriage). Umm el-Jimal is highlighted regularly by the participants of the study as one of the potential markets for national and international heritage tourism, because they think that national and international visitors can relate to the site’s cultural background and geographic and community context.

The region in which the site is located is very rich with archaeological monuments such as Omayyad palaces that are located in a fairly small area. Nearby major attractions are Azraq Castle, Amra Palace, Hallabat Palace, Hammam Es-sarah, Harraneh Palace and Azraq wetland reserve. By any measure, Umm el-Jimal is a place of distinctive cultural heritage and historic values for the Jordanians. The scenic value is highly appreciated by the participants of the study because of attractive landscapes that should be included in future tourism activities. The site is very rich in immovable tangible heritage resources, and one of its significant heritage resources is the cultural landscape in the form of archaeological monuments in the middle of black basalt desert with its flora and fauna that have an important association with the local community. All of these values are present in the area of Umm el-Jimal which makes this region excellent for the development of heritage–cultural tourism in the future. The economic and financial benefits of exploiting these resources are evident, mainly for the underdeveloped modern city of Umm el-Jimal.

Protection and management of Umm el-Jimal is the responsibility of provincial bureaus of tourism and antiquities under the sectoral leadership of the Ministry of Tourism and Antiquities. However, many of Umm el-Jimal’s significant monuments are at significant threat from environmental and human impacts such as sand storms, flooding and erosion, and from theft and vandalism due to weak security. From the field study, signs of degradation and violation of its structure were noted; different monuments inside the walled city are not adequately protected and were severely damaged. As a consequence of past management, the state of preservation is currently poor, primarily due to the fact that regular financial and human capacity are not available.

Potential for Tourism

While Umm el-Jimal has a varied cultural mixture which makes it attractive for various types of tourism, including archaeological–heritage tourism and desert adventure tourism (Al-Shorman et al. 2017). Umm el-Jimal could be also part of a wider tourism offering which includes the North and Eastern desert of Jordan. However, there are also other existing or potential Jordanian tourism attractions with which Umm el-Jimal has potentially a particular relationship, including the Roman cities within the Jordan and neighbouring countries known as the Decapolis sites, the Desert Castles of Amra, Azraq and Harraneh, and numerous Byzantine sites and Nabataean settlements. Comprehension of tourism in Umm el-Jimal requires an understanding of this wider picture. Based on the site observation, the inventory below (Table 1) summarizes the types of resources currently at Umm el-Jimal archaeological site.

Table 1 Inventory of types of tourism resources in Umm el-Jimal based on Cooper and Hall (2008)
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In the light of interviews with representative members of the community and observation at the site, some important facts can be established regarding the potentiality of the site for tourism purposes notwithstanding the major appeal for the conservation and preservation of its cultural heritage. Currently there are no facilities/services such as hotels, rest houses or restaurants serving potential visitors. Optimistically, the site is served by public transport and an information/visitor centre that will be open to visitors soon. There is also a small local restaurant just opposite to the site, still under construction (Figure 2). It can be assumed that facilities at the site are almost absent and if existed they are insufficient and need to be improved, except for the disposable toilets for both site employees and visitors and the equipped caravans for staff and security members of the site.

Figure 2
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Sources: Authors 2015

Sole restaurant under construction.

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As observed by researchers during the site visits, the interpretive panels at the site are exposed to damage and vandalism (Figure 3), which is a general problem facing almost all other archaeological sites in Jordan, as there is a clear uncontrolled movement of people in the site. This does not, of course, mean that they are not allowed onto the site, on the contrary, they have the full right to be on the site and enjoy it, but as part of prospective organized awareness programmes they should be encouraged to be engaged to the archaeological site and also conduct themselves appropriately and refrain from looting and deliberate and accidental behaviour especially when there is a major safety hazard caused by the danger of potential collapsing buildings; certainly, further building preservation works are needed to ensure the tourism potential already identified (Figure 4).

Figure 3
figure 3

Source: Authors

Damaged panels.

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Figure 4
figure 4

Source: Authors

Graffiti impact.

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One of the more important archaeological features of the site, the large cistern, represents a significant resource as well as being a fine example of a water reservoir. It used to be exploited by the locals for irrigation and drinking purposes yet it has also been observed that this pool is a source of danger especially for schoolchildren on their daily way to and from school. As part of Umm el-Jimal Water System Restoration and Recreation Project, the pool has been cleaned and filled up with clean water to be used by the municipality to irrigate community garden. The pool has also been recently used for swimming during summer school, but this can be considered as a safety challenge unless children are well observed and trained. Even so, this example is a significant development in enhancing the value of the archaeological remains of the site in the eyes of the local community, as well offering interest to potential visitors.

Compared to the key attractions in Jordan such as Petra, Jarash, Madaba and the Dead Sea, Umm el-Jimal can be considered an underestimated and underexploited site. The site clearly requires more effort to make it more visible and accessible to visitors especially those visiting it freely or unguided. Such efforts should focus on further conservation measures, especially for features that enhance the value of the site to the local community as well as visitors. Such works would aid stronger interpretation of life in this harsh environment and enable stronger presentation of its remains. For example, its basalt-walled houses offer interesting lessons in design to cope with this challenging area. Such programmes should, of course, run hand-in-hand with the enhancement of public awareness and involvement of local community in the site.

The following section on results and discussion is greatly based on field study including site observation and meetings with heads of tourism and antiquity staff, community leaders, site experts from tourism and antiquity offices.

Results and Discussion

Until recently, the guardians of the site of Umm el-Jimal have not been able to prepare a heritage management plan, and there is no tourism development plan in place either. It has not been possible therefore to capture the fullest values, significances and understanding the sites’ wider potentials. It is of high importance to underline that without an established heritage and tourism management plan changes could be undertaken that will potentially have an adverse effect on tangible and intangible values of the site. Researchers’ observations and existing documents indicate that local tourism sector has not achieved much progress in recent years despite of a lot of attractions and potentials in the area. Although Umm el-Jimal is rich in cultural heritage assets, it does not get very large numbers of tourists: between 2012 and 2105, a total of 7799 tourists visited the site (MOTA 2016). Currently, Umm el-Jimal and its direct surrounding area have not been developed into a standardized heritage tourism attraction, although some occasional heritage and tourism activities have been undertaken by local and international ventures such as the projects with the Archaeological Institute of America (AIA) (AIA 2010), DoA, USAID/SCHEP, UNESCO, NORAD (Bergen and Birzeit Universities) the Gerda Henkel Stiftung and the Pax Foundation. These works covered tourism service-related projects (De Vries 2013a, b) including preservation projects (Preservation: House XVII–XVIII, Commodus Gate, Water System, Cathedral), heritage awareness and training (tour guide, and Site Management Training), interpretive projects (a trail with 33 signs, preparing an interpretive and hospitality Centre at House 119, brochures, booklets, posters) and community training projects (craft production and marketing) (www.ummeljimal.org).

In addition, there are two important initiatives undertaken by the Umm el-Jimal Project in partnership with the AIA and Jordan’s Ministry of Education. The first is an online virtual museum, that is to include an interactive virtual reality tour, online object exhibit and video oral history archive, and the second initiative is the provision of an educational centre for school visits. A further initiative is a plan for the creation of an Umm el-Jimal Community Heritage Centre in partnership with local residents so as to provide a locally owned and operated cultural heritage and visitor centre serving as a support and accommodation provider for tourists while at the same time enabling the locals to generate additional income. Despite the considerable efforts made by the Department of Antiquities of Jordan (DoA) and the Ministry of Tourism and Antiquities (MoTA) and their plans to increase the visitation of Umm el-Jimal, the site faces numerous critical threats not least from negligence, ignorance and looting by the local people in ignorance of it’s the site’s cultural and historical significance. Most importantly, it cannot be denied that the conservation and maintenance of the huge destroyed site requires a large measure of financial resources which the state’s agencies and outside organizations struggle to provide (Figure 5).

Figure 5
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Source: authors

Destroyed monuments at Umm el-Jimal.

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The sustainable heritage management of the site and the exploitation of the opportunities is not a challenge-free venture. Some challenges exist and others are potential. Reasons for the low number of visitors to the site are varied but include its overshadowing by more famous monuments within the same area such as the Desert Castles (Azraq, Amra and Harraneh). This is because the Desert Castles and in particular the World Heritage Site of Qusair Amra is much more interpreted, and are therefore the first destinations of tourist visits to the area. The Desert Castles are included in the itinerary by tour operators not because they have more appealing tourism product than the site of Umm el-Jimal, but because the tourism assets at Umm el-Jimal have not been developed sufficiently so most visitors do not extend their visit to Umm el-Jimal. This reveals a potential limitation of Umm el-Jimal which is that it is rarely included on the itinerary of international tourists and seems unlikely to be included in future The potential of the site as a tourism product is in consequence limited. This potential limitation is due to different factors; currently, there is very little tourist information about the monuments, history and the setting in which the site is located and very sparse directional signage to the site along the main access roads. Most people who visit Umm el-Jimal are locals from the area or from nearby towns and cities who already know about the site. Yet, as observed during the field work, there is limited incentive or opportunity to spend more time and money during the visit.

The modern town of Umm el-Jimal and the nearby towns have only a limited number of retail offerings with limited evening operation hours. For many Jordanians, evening activities in destination in rural areas have a greater challenge meeting all of visitors’ needs. However, in the evening, it can be particularly challenging to find a place to eat which means that most visitors leave the town to visit neighbouring cities with better food services and/or evening activities. Another important point is that Umm el-Jimal has also a quite limited range of services and infrastructures that could meet the needs of travellers; it even lacks hotels that might accommodate tourists.

In addition to these factors, there were some significant differences regarding the ability of various stakeholders to capture the full range of potentials of the site and its cultural environment. However, the site is in high need of protection, cleanliness and awareness in addition to its unavoidable and necessary need of conservation. There are various critical issues that require serious efforts and endeavours to be carried out. The site as a whole requires a major series of integrated conservation measures, to be conducted in accordance with the conservation code of ethics and global good lessons to ensure that it becomes a spectacular tourist attraction on the one hand and to enhance its potential. The site lacks safety procedures especially in respect of some of the unconsolidated and fragile structures on site. Such issues would need to be clear up swiftly were the site to become a tourist attraction.

The observations made here by the authors provide strong indications that the sites’ cultural environment has been impacted by both environmental- and anthropogenic-based factors. The impact from natural hazards such as earthquakes and erosion is apparent, but human activity has also contributed to the cumulative impact on structures and objects as well as on the surrounding vegetation. Impact due to abandon, ignorance, negligence, vandalism and graffiti was visible through the site. This is reasonable as stakeholders are unable to map the various abundant structures and monuments of the site. Another important factor underlying this inability is that institutional barriers have been significant, with authority over heritage sites often in conflict or unclear. In many cases, Ministry of Tourism has control over the sites b is not responsible for the protection and preservation of monuments. Generally, the community is enthusiastic and optimistic and views tourism as an opportunity for developing their life standards. However, it is observed that they have no agreed plans about what to do and where or when to start. Several participants suggested different actions such as development of on-site services. The major constraints in heritage tourism product development, including conservation and preservation, complementary facilities, signage, on-site interpretation and heritage management strategies, all show drawbacks in the Umm el-Jimal tourism planning process Umm el-Jimal also faces increasing development pressure in the forthcoming years since the presence of Syrian refugees in and near Umm el-Jimal (29,000 in the Umm el-Jimal Municipality) has brought great negative impacts on heritage tourism in Umm el-Jimal townscape and living heritage.

From these details, we can conclude that different initiatives and actions have increased over the past several years, but it is far from being sufficient. Cultural and natural values and similar spheres of site and community non-material heritage are especially neglected. A shortage of minimal infrastructure, especially in rural areas and small settlements such as Umm el-Jimal, Umm er-Rassas, Pella and Abila is a chronic problem in Jordan. The problem of inability of mapping the potentials of the site is believed to be due to existing gap between the systems of heritage management and tourism development. As of yet, information produced by the Ministry of Tourism, Department of Antiquities and Jordan Tourism Board and programs they operate are rather selective and likely neglectful of cultural heritage sites. These stakeholders hold a limited vision as Jordanian archaeological sites are not perceived adequately in their diversity. However, heritage and tourism institutions put a bigger emphasis on the tourism potentials than heritage potentials in major selected sites such as Petra than other sites of great potentials. The challenge here is to establish a realistic and comprehensive evaluation of the potential.

Conclusion and Recommendation

Umm el-Jimal has immense potential to open cultural heritage to tourism, but a significant barrier in exploring this potential is the poor cooperation between the heritage authorities, local people and tourism organizations. As Umm el-Jimal encounter various heritage and tourism challenges as one of the world class archaeological sites, in this context the following recommendations are offered based on the discussions of the results. The process should start by eliminating the boundaries separating institutions involved in the research and management of cultural heritage and tourism planners. It is important that heritage authorities should propose an efficient management plan that addresses the key issues in terms of conservation, management, interpretation and tourism development. This management plan requires the creation of interdisciplinary partnership. One of the criteria is also the establishment of a governing body and a plan for further management of the area. However, these cannot be achieved without the availability of qualified human resources, financial resources, and integration between the public and private interested parties, and of course the role of the local community cannot be ignored.

In fact, the site of Umm el-Jimal is quite huge, however, the conservation of its entirety is costly and time-consuming, and consequently, conservation measures can be taking place in its key parts and features (at least for the short time). Heritage protection and conservation should be considered as a priority that includes the historical, archaeological and both tangible and intangible cultural values of the site with regard to international standards. The graffiti shown in previous photographs taken by authors should be safely removed followed by warning and informative signage in the site. In addition, uncontrolled movement in the site especially school children can be limited or even prohibited by fencing the whole site and suggesting only one entrance into the site, where only workers and visitors to the sites are allowed. Another suggestion is to install closed-circuit television camera (CCTV) in the site so as to control movements and vandalism. Further recommendations suggest the establishment of a buffer zone around the site to protect it from a provisional urban development and determination of archaeologically sensitive zones and monuments and apply active measures such as the restoration of the Western Church.

This would of course serve to create new experience opportunities among potential tourists and increase the number of visitors attracted to the site. As well as being a motivator for a future works covering the entire site, whether, in terms of conserving the exposed features or revealing buried ones. Additionally, interpretation and presentations measures are highly recommended in order to tell the story of the site and present it more clearly to the visitors. The quite low touristic traffic and unremarkable interest for the city can become a strong point, since it does not stimulate chaotic development. Accordingly, a well-planned and well-managed tourism activity can take place here taking into account the fragility, sensitivity and authenticity of the site. However, it is recommended to adopt interpretive techniques that endeavour to present the whole picture to visitors and identify themes for interpretation through, for instance, revealing meanings of the site and its own and unique message (s). The site has already a visitor centre; its interpretive role can be improved by making available of trained local guides, appropriate printed guides and maps, a designed trails inside the site and also visiting guidelines at the entry of the site.

However, a better understanding of the characteristics of the wider area and the dynamic relationships which develop between local communities and the physical remains of the past can assist heritage managers in shaping of policies relating to issues of site management and tourism priorities. To achieve this, it is recommended that all of the previous measures should be based on the basis of revealing three categories of values, namely archaeological site-based values, local community-based values and surrounding environment-based values. Therefore, a team-based work including heritage management practitioners with participants form the local community is highly needed. Although the site and its region have their history and local communities have valuable traditions, without the participation of locals in potential evaluation process no heritage site’s management would be adequately framed.