AMMAN — Minister of Tourism and Antiquities Imad Hijazin on Monday outlined measures to improve the experience of Christian pilgrims and visitors to the Baptism Site, in line with directives from HRH Crown Prince Hussein.

 

Hijazin said the improvements centre on two priorities, enhancing the site’s readiness to receive more pilgrims and visitors and stepping up international efforts to market and promote the Baptism Site and Jordan’s religious sites as a leading Christian pilgrimage destination.

 

He said the Crown Prince’s visit to the site provided an opportunity to assess services for visitors and identify areas for improvement, stressing the need to complete the work ahead of 2030, the Jordan News Agency, Petra, reported.

 

Hijazin said that the visit reflects Jordan’s strong interest in the Baptism Site and follows His Majesty King Abdullah’s endorsement of a local churches’ initiative to mark the 2,000th anniversary of Jesus Christ’s baptism in the Jordan River.

 

He said that services at the visitor centre need to be enhanced, including shops and facilities such as a cafeteria, while unfinished churches should be completed to provide pilgrims and visitors with an integrated experience from arrival until the end of their visit.

 

Plans also include improving the pilgrimage route and providing services for elderly people and persons with disabilities, he added.

 

On promotion, Hijazin said that the ministry is developing the Baptism Site’s website to provide information and respond to visitors’ enquiries.

 

The ministry is also strengthening cooperation with churches in Jordan and reaching out to churches and pilgrimage organisations worldwide to promote the site and Jordan as a Christian pilgrimage destination through conferences, religious events and other activities, he said.

 

Hijazin said a high-level steering committee, chaired by the prime minister and comprising ministers, four heads of churches in Jordan, representatives of other churches and the private sector, began work about a month ago.

 

Several specialised subcommittees have been formed to address infrastructure, communications, marketing, church affairs and other areas, he added.

 

The minister said the ministry has begun contacting church leaders and has held a meeting with the Council of Churches in Jordan, while awaiting programmes from each church for religious occasions, events and activities planned through 2030.

 

Two days after the committee began work on August 10, projects worth $120 million were signed covering infrastructure, the Pilgrims’ Village and a museum, Hijazin said.

 

He stressed that the effort extends beyond developing the Baptism Site, aiming to position Jordan as a global Christian pilgrimage destination, with the site serving as the main location where Christ’s mission on earth began.

 

Hijazin described the partnership with churches as the “backbone” of efforts to place Jordan on the global Christian pilgrimage map, not only in the region.

 

According to Tourism Ministry data, the Baptism Site received 51,140 visitors between January and August, including 36,105 foreigners, 7,988 Jordanians and 7,047 Arabs.

 

Foreign visitors accounted for 70.6 per cent of the total, Jordanians 15.6 per cent and Arabs 13.8 per cent.

 

The ministry noted that the figures may include repeat visits by the same international or local visitors to other tourist sites.