The Wadi Rum Protected Area (WRPA) management team, USAID/Jordan Tourism Development Project (Siyaha) and two community based organisations (CBOs) representing local camp owners met recently to plan the implementation of standards for campsites operated by the local community inside the nature reserve.

An upgrade of facilities and services will be required to meet these minimum standards, according to a Siyaha statement. 

The WRPA management team and USAID/Siyaha worked closely over the past months to develop minimum standards for the 34 campsites in the nature reserve.

The desert campsites are in strategic locations inside the nature reserve, and are subject to regulation by the WRPA, not the Ministry of Tourism and Antiquities, according to the statement.

They compete with private campsites outside the reserve and have a relatively small market share compared to these campsites.  

The minimum standards were necessary due to a lack of consistency in the provision of adequate comfort and authenticity and the initiative seeks to address these issues.

The criteria are founded on basic guest requirements, including safety,  hygiene, comfort, authenticity and environmental measures, the statement said.

There is a special focus on authenticity that aims to emphasise bedouin culture and tradition in the campsites.  

The majority of camps in the WRPA are locally owned and operated and currently do not meet the newly proposed standards.

Support will be provided through grants awarded by USAID and the UNDP Global Environmental Fund to the Wadi Qamar and Diseh CBOs to help members upgrade the camps.

The grants will assist camp owners in the overall upgrade of facilities and services available within the nature reserve. 

Additionally, the standards may be met gradually through a phase-based system of implementation that allows camps three six-month intervals in which to meet basic requirements. 

A training programme will be implemented to educate the local community about the minimum standards and construction methods for campsites, and also to introduce techniques in hospitality, safety and marketing.

The Wadi Qamar and Diseh Cooperatives will be equipped with marketing tools and training to better serve their members during the upgrade process. 

At last week’s meeting, a detailed protocol for documenting inspection, appropriate upgrade steps and a development plan was agreed upon, as was a schedule for inspection. 

The next steps in the implementation of new standards and campsite upgrade will be publishing the training plan in cooperation with WRPA and the distribution of grant applications to camp owners.