Work ongoing to make trail tourism accessible for people with disabilities — ministry

AMMAN — The Ministry of Tourism and Antiquities is in the process of identifying and renovating trails that are accessible for people with disabilities, according to Al Mamlaka TV. 

The Ministry of Tourism and Antiquities conducted studies to assessing trail tourism activities, which fall within the ministry’s “adventure tourism framework”, Al Mamlaka TV reported.

The study examined several obstacles and opportunities facing the local adventure tourism sector, and assessed the potential costs of adding new routes. Other factors, such as regulatory requirements, were also considered regarding the potential new routes, according to the report. 

“Work is done on mapping, determining GPS coordinates, classifying the degree of its standard difficulty (easy, medium, or difficult), and determining and marking the route of the track,” Al Mamlaka added. 

The ministry is also working to post indicators and explanatory signs for the tracks.

Further, the ministry will identify tracks that are accessible for people with disabilities, Al Mamlaka report said.

Adventure Tourism guide Ahlam Serhan told The Jordan Times that the natural and cultural resources in Jordan are “among the best in the world”. 

However, people with disabilities are usually excluded from such activities due to the trouble trekking and climbing along narrow paths, he said. 

In Jordan, there are a vast number of potential sites for adventure tourism activities. Therefore, the adventure tourism sector has the chance to identify and renovate special tracks to be accessible for people with disabilities, Serhan said. 

“Jordan is a highly competitive player in the adventure travel scene internationally,” Serhan added. 

Serhan added that adventure tourism is a sector that promises high rates of return, with foreign and domestic adventure travellers developing loyalty for preferred destinations. 

“Adventure tourism serves as a basis for the development and growth of more traditional tourism,” Serhan added. 

Economist Khaled Salameh told The Jordan Times that adventure travel can create formal jobs that are sustainable and resilient to market shocks. Furthermore, the industry is capable of generating direct and indirect revenue for micro- and small-enterprises. 

Meanwhile, an American tourist who visits Jordan almost annually, Hanne Skrup told The Jordan Times that the diverse array of physical activities in Jordan is “one-of-a-kind”. 

 “The topography types, micro-climates, the remarkable number of archaeological sites, the hospitality of Jordanians are what make me come back every year,” Skrup added.