USAID delegation visits Petra

AMMAN — A team of experts from USAID led by Leslie Reed, Mission Director of USAID Jordan visited Petra on Sunday and met with Petra Development and Tourism Regional Authority (PDTRA) Chief Commissioner Suleiman Farajat.

Farajat briefed the delegation on the PDTRA’s efforts to enhance Petra as an international tourism destination, including the mitigation of climate change in the region, according to a PDTRA statement.

The meeting also covered prospects for USAID’s role in transforming Petra into a more sustainable destination by using electric buses, developing eco-tourism, adventure tourism and agritourism.

They also discussed cooperating with local service providers to improve waste recycling and waste management, energy supply, water management and maintenance of green areas. In 2023, the number of visitors to Petra is expected to increase to more than 1.5 million, the statement said.