Archaeologies

, Volume 13, Issue 3, pp 460–488 | Cite as

Assessing Umm el-Jimal’s Potential for Heritage Tourism

  • Fakhrieh M. Darabseh
  • Abdelkader Ababneh
  • Furat Almuhaisen
Research
First Online:

Abstract

The quality of Jordan’s archaeological heritage resource for tourism is widely acknowledged, but heritage authorities have hardly begun to explore and develop their tourism potential. Nonetheless, the tourism industry in Jordan is a leading activity for the economy countrywide. Jordan’s tourism and heritage management have undergone quiet and basic improvement in recent years. This paper seeks to assess the heritage tourism potential of the archaeological site of Umm el-Jimal. It addresses the question of what potentials and values the site possesses, and what obstacles heritage and tourism management need to tackle to enable its development. To achieve this, current heritage practice in the management of the archaeological site of Umm el-Jimal is investigated. The methodology employed by the researchers comprised an assortment of research techniques including meetings, consultations, interviews, surveys, observation, alongside a literature review on various related topics and heritage management studies. The analysis of the study revealed that Umm el-Jimal has substantial heritage tourism potential and diversified values that have not yet been utilized due to the presence of a variety of hindering factors. Primarily, these are lack of tourist facilities, a backlog of heritage conservation and insufficient methods of interpretation and presentation. Combined, these factors hold back heritage tourism development of the site. Finally, it is recommended that the collaboration between the different interested parties at both public and private levels with the diverse stakeholders such as local people, private sector is imperative to make use of the heritage tourism potential of the site and alleviate the obstacles to successful development.

Key words

Archaeological sites Heritage and tourism potential Assessment Umm el-Jimal Jordan 

Résumé

La qualité des ressources du patrimoine archéologique de la Jordanie pour le tourisme est largement reconnue, mais les autorités du patrimoine ont à peine commencé à explorer et à développer leur potentiel touristique. L’industrie du tourisme en Jordanie est néanmoins une activité de premier plan pour l’économie du pays. Le tourisme de la Jordanie et la gestion du patrimoine ont connu une amélioration discrète et basique au cours des dernières années. Le présent article vise à évaluer le potentiel du tourisme patrimonial du site archéologique d’Umm al-Jimal. Il aborde la question des potentiels et des valeurs que possède le site, et les obstacles que la gestion du patrimoine et du tourisme doit surmonter pour permettre son développement. Pour cela, la pratique actuelle en matière de conservation du patrimoine dans la gestion du site archéologique d’Umm al-Jimal est étudiée. La méthode utilisée par les chercheurs comprenait un éventail de techniques de recherche, notamment des réunions, des consultations, des entretiens, des enquêtes, des observations, parallèlement à une étude des publications sur différents sujets connexes et des études de gestion du patrimoine. L’analyse de l’étude a révélé qu’Umm al-Jimal possède un potentiel important en matière de tourisme patrimonial et des valeurs diversifiées qui n’ont pas encore été utilisées en raison de la présence de divers facteurs gênants. Ce sont, principalement, le manque d’installations touristiques, un retard concernant la conservation du patrimoine et des méthodes insuffisantes d’interprétation et de présentation. Ensemble, ces facteurs freinent le développement du tourisme patrimonial du site. Enfin, il est recommandé que la collaboration entre les différentes parties intéressées, tant au niveau public qu’au niveau privé avec les diverses parties prenantes telles que les populations locales et le secteur privé, soit essentielle pour utiliser le potentiel touristique du patrimoine du site et réduire les obstacles pour un développement réussi.

Resumen

La calidad de los recursos del patrimonio arqueológico de Jordania para el turismo está ampliamente reconocido, pero las autoridades responsables del patrimonio han comenzado apenas a explorar y desarrollar su potencial turístico. No obstante, la industria turística en Jordania es una actividad destacada para la economía en todo el país. La gestión del turismo y del patrimonio de Jordania ha experimentado una mejora tranquila y básica en años recientes. El presente documento trata de evaluar el potencial turístico del patrimonio del yacimiento arqueológico de Umm el-Jimal. Aborda la cuestión de qué potenciales y valores posee el yacimiento, y a qué obstáculos necesita hacer frente la gestión del turismo y del patrimonio para permitir su desarrollo. Para lograr esto, se investiga la práctica patrimonial actual en la gestión del yacimiento arqueológico de Umm el-Jimal. La metodología empleada por los investigadores comprendió una selección de técnicas de investigación que incluyeron reuniones, consultas, entrevistas, encuestas, observación, junto con una revisión del material publicado sobre diversos temas relacionados y estudios sobre gestión del patrimonio. El análisis del estudio reveló que Umm el-Jimal tiene un potencial turístico del patrimonio sustancial y valores diversificados que no han sido utilizados todavía debido a la presencia de una serie de factores que entorpecen. Fundamentalmente, son la falta de instalaciones turísticas, un atraso en la conservación del patrimonio y métodos insuficientes de interpretación y presentación. Combinados, estos factores son un lastre para el desarrollo del turismo patrimonial del yacimiento. Finalmente, se recomienda que la colaboración, entre las diferentes partes interesadas tanto a nivel público como privado, tales como la gente local, el sector privado, es imperativa para hacer uso del potencial turístico del patrimonio del yacimiento y paliar los obstáculos para un desarrollo satisfactorio.

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Notes

Acknowledgements

The authors extremely thank Bert De Vries for his valuable inputs and his comments on an earlier version of the manuscript.

Compliance with Ethical Standards

Conflict of interest

This research has no conflict of interest.

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Copyright information

© World Archaeological Congress 2017

Authors and Affiliations

  • Fakhrieh M. Darabseh
    • 1
  • Abdelkader Ababneh
    • 1
  • Furat Almuhaisen
    • 2
  1. 1.Department of Tourism and TravelYarmouk UniversityIrbidJordan
  2. 2.Department of Hotel ManagementYarmouk UniversityIrbidJordan

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