Raising the profile of a little-known gem Outfitter aims to make the Jordan Trail a go-to destination
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Photo by Dara Al-Masri
a group of ten cities that very year, hundreds made up the Roman Emof thousands of pire’s eastern frontier in the adventure seekers first centuries BC and AD. walk the Camino The cities formed a group de Santiago, a network of because of their language, trails that run through every culture, location, and politimajor European city. cal status. Each functioned A lesser known, spectacuas an autonomous citylar hiking experience is availstate dependent on Rome. able on the 398-mile (640 Most of these cities are in kilometre) Jordan Trail that modern-day Jordan. runs the length of Jordan. Archaeological excavaTourist visits to Jordan tion that began in Umm dropped during the civil Qais in 1974 unearthed a war in neighboring Syria for several years earlier this dewealth of relics from ancade. Since 2016, the tourist cient civilizations, including industry has enjoyed strong a Roman aqueduct. “The growth. Overnight visits in water tunnel, you can see it Visitors to Umm Qais can view ruins that date back to 2018 were up eight per cent only here in Umm Qais.” ancient Roman civilization before the time of Christ. over 2017 numbers. Al Omari hopes that small town of about 7,000 people in If Ahmed Al Omari has his way, promotion of the tunnel will lead to northern Jordan. the Jordan Trail won’t be a secret Umm Qais becoming a world wonThe panoramic views from the much longer. He works with MEDA der, like Petra in the south. “I want hilltops of Umm Qais are stunning. partner Baraka Destinations to build (Umm Qais) to be like Petra.” the tourism sector in Umm Qais, a Umm Qais is part of the Decapolis, Close to 800,000 people visited
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The Marketplace September October 2019
