Sustainable Destination Management
Strategies in the OIC Member Countries
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communities.546 In Jordan, plans are underway for onsite training in the area of archaeological
site conservation, addressing remaining issues such as pulverization, exfoliation, salt deposits,
atmospheric pollution, and plant deposits. Tour guides have received technical training and
capacity building on the significance of the sites, as well as the historical and Biblical context,
to ensure that they can help pilgrims immerse themselves in the experience.
In terms of sustainability, in Jordan, the five main sites for Christian pilgrims are: Al-Maghtas
(Baptism Site), Machaerus, Mount Nebo, Mount our Lady Church, and Tell Mar Elias. Al-Maghtas
is well protected through heritage legislation, and a construction moratorium was issued for
the property, preventing any new construction, except that exclusively dedicated to the
protection of archaeological remains. It is designated as an antique site according to Antiquities
Law 21/1988, art. 3, par 8. This law prohibits destruction, damage, or alteration of the antiquity
itself and regulates development works around it, to avoid any major impact. The property and
its buffer zone are likewise protected by the Jordan Valley Authority Laws and on the site level
by the by-laws of the Baptism Site Commission. The objective of these laws is to protect the
property from potential future threats, focusing mainly on development and tourism projects
that might jeopardize the nature and character of the site and its immediate surroundings.
In terms of funding, in Egypt, financing for the Holy Family sites is provided by the government.
In Jordan, governmental funding, as well as service charges, are used to fund the sites. The
Baptism Site Commission charges fees for the various services provided at the baptism site,
from guide services to shuttle buses.547
Corridor Marketing
In the case of the Holy Family TC, as Egypt and Jordan are still in the process of formalizing
cooperation on the corridor, there are no dedicated sites or joint marketing efforts. Both
countries currently use traditional tools to promote the Holy Family sites within their
territories. In Egypt, with the help of the Coptic Church, the Tourism Ministry has organized
familiarization trips for tour guides to Holy Family sites, which was followed by a visit from an
Italian religious delegation hosted by the Coptic Church in 2018. 548 The tourism development
authority includes the Holy Family TC sites in the tourism programs for Egypt. There are also
plans to launch a website to promote the corridor.
In Jordan, the Jordan Tourism Board (JTB) is promoting the Holy Family sites to both Muslim
and Christian visitors through various activities in areas that have significant religious aspects.
For example, this year, visitors in Madaba and Fuheis will be able to enjoy Christmas-related
activities, such as the Christmas Parade, like the one held in Bethlehem.
Future Development of the Corridor
Due to the political situation in the region, any corridor development is limited to activities by
individual states. There is a three-stage project in Egypt for developing and rehabilitating the
holy corridor. The first and most urgent stage concerns five archaeological sites: the three
monasteries of Wadi Natroun, the monastery of Abu Sergeh in Masr Alqdemaa, and the Alazraa
546 Espanol, "Egypt to Boost Spiritual Tourism through the Holy Family Trail".
547 "Baptism Site 'Bethany Beyond the Jordan' (Al-Maghtas)," UNESCO, accessed October 13, 2019,
548 Al-Masry Al-Youm, "Italian Tourism in Egypt to Witness Boost after Holy Family Journey: Ambassador.," Egypt
Independent, last modified June 28, 2018,
holy-family-journey-ambassador/.