Jordan hopes Petra win will double tourists, boost economy

Jordan expects the choice of its centuries-old Petra ruins among the seven "new" world wonders to double the number of tourists to the site and boost its economy, said an official last Sunday.

"The inclusion of Petra in the list of the new seven wonders of the world gives an indication that more tourists are going to visit Jordan and the city," said Faruq Hadidi, the secretary general of Jordan's tourism ministry.

This was "expected to increase tourism revenue, market the kingdom and enhance the national economy," Hadidi told AFP.

"The result reflected the importance of the red-rose city as a cultural, tourist and archaeological site," he said, adding around 400,000 people visit Petra each year. "We expect the figure to double."

The ruins of Petra, a UNESCO World Heritage Site, are located 200 kilometres (125 miles) south of the Jordanian capital Amman.

Petra was selected along with six other sites by around 100 million people in a worldwide Internet and telephone vote, the results of which were announced in a televised ceremony in Portugal last Saturday night.

Following the announcement, thousands of Jordanians cheered, waved flags, set fire works and broke into traditional dance in Amman and Petra.

Petra comprises stunning temples and tombs carved in rock.

It was the capital of Arab Nabataean nomads, who settled in the area more than 2000 years ago, turning it into a key junction for the silk, spice and other trade routes that linked China, India and southern Arabia with Egypt, Syria, Greece and Rome.

A flurry of advertisements proclaiming "Vote for Petra, world heritage" flooded cell phones, radio, television and newspapers in final days of national campaign to encourage people to pick the ancient city as one of the new seven wonders of the world in a massive online poll.

About 2 million of Jordan's estimated 6 million people had already voted for Petra by cell phone text messages or on the Internet, before last Saturday.

"Petra's nomination to this international competition is an appreciation of this grand historic and cultural site, and shall place the rose-red city as a well deserved spot on the international tourism and heritage map, among other wonders of the world," said Jordanian Tourism Minister Osama al-Dabbas.

Petra, was among the top 10 contenders for the "New Seven Wonders of the World," an online contest launched by the Switzerland-based NewOpenWorld Foundation - a group which aims to promote cultural diversity by supporting, preserving and restoring monuments.

Twenty sites around the globe vyed to be declared the new wonders of the world in the popular online contest. Contest organizers say more than 50 million votes were cast, and the top seven winners were announced on Saturday in Lisbon, Portugal.

Petra - most recently popularized by the movie "Indiana Jones and the Last Crusade" - is known for its dramatic tombs and temple facades, including one that served as a church during Byzantine times. The city's inhabitants, Nabataean Arab nomads, carved the structures into the soft sandstone some 2,000 years ago.

The rose-red rock city was forgotten for centuries until Swiss explorer Johann Ludwig Burchhardt, disguised as a Bedouin nomad, went into the city to rediscover it in 1812. The ancient city was hidden behind an almost impenetrable barrier of rugged mountains.

A "Miss Petra" was even crowned before the final result was announced - 17-year-old Jumana al-Daaja, who was picked among 30 contestants.

"I voted for Petra because it's a world treasure and everyone should feel that way about it," said 11-year-old Farah Jilani, as she stood in line at one of the kiosks to cast her ballot.

Latin Americans and Asians were the most enthusiastic voters in the final round of 20 candidates for the world's top architectural marvels, but people from every country in the world have voted by Internet or phone, according to the organizers.

AP