leisure: The great outdoors
The great outdoors
With such a diverse geographical landscape, Jordan offers a variety of incentive options for delegates to enjoy the great outdoors. From national parks and nature reserves to desert camps, there are many settings for groups to participate in sustainable, awe-inspiring activities.
The Royal Society for the Conservation of Nature (RSCN) was established in 1996 as a non-governmental organisation charged with protecting Jordan's many outstanding landscapes, flora and fauna. Under the tag line 'Helping Nature, Helping People', the organisation has assisted in teaching the local population that nature can provide an income without turning to harsh farming and land clearance.
The result is a collection of campsites, nature reserves and hands-on activities that have become popular with visitors looking for a different tourism experience.
According to the RSCN's Annual Report, visitor numbers to RSCN reserves and facilities increased in 2009 to 167,347, representing an increase of 35 percent over 2008. In terms of day visitors, Dibeen and the Dead Sea Panoramic Complex were the most popular attracting 130,000.
The Dana Biosphere Reserve, which includes the Dana Guesthouse, Rummana Campsite, and Feynan Eco-lodge, maintained its position as the leading site attracting 11,000 day and overnight visitors.
RSCN was the first voluntary conservation organisation site, in the Middle East, and since 1996 the NGO has blossomed into the Middle East's leading eco-tourism provider. Through its Wild Jordan division RSCN offers a host of socio-economic and environmental benefits to the country.
Wild Jordan adopts a people-centred approach to protecting nature, with business ventures being developed using the natural assets of protected areas to create economic and social benefits for local communities. Thriving eco-tourism and handicraft enterprises have been established, bringing jobs to hundreds of people. Such ventures are making nature conservation important to the lives of local communities, while providing alternatives to hunting and overgrazing, which continue to pose threats to wildlife habitats.
As protected areas are costly to run, RSCN charges entrance fees at all its sites. The income from these fees and from tourism and crafts goes directly to support conservation programmes and local people. Therefore, as a visitor, or a purchaser, groups can contribute directly to the protection of Jordan's natural heritage.
Adventure trails
The first RSCN project was the Dana Biosphere Reserve near Petra. It sits in a slice of the Rift Valley, which ranges from 1,200 metres to -50 metres at the Dead Sea. Hiking is the main activity, although many visitors just come to enjoy the amazing mountain scenery and experience the local culture. The Dana Guesthouse, with its nine rooms, was the first eco-tourism project for RSCN that brought jobs and benefits to the local people.
Inspired by the success of the Dana initiative, RSCN has been replicating the approach in all of its protected areas, creating Wild Jordan in 2003 as the 'business arm' to supervise and manage these socio-economic programmes.
All of the Wild Jordan lodges offer a training room with audio/visual equipment, so groups can combine business with pleasure. After hours entertainment can also be arranged, with a traditional campsite gathering, including locally sourced foods and traditional music.
Alternative activities include participating in soap making, calligraphy and Arabian dancing lessons. Groups can also get involved in projects to help the community, through volun-tourism activities.
The facilities within the nature reserves attract a variety of groups for corporate training, workshops, retreats, and team building activities, as they are great sites to escape from the boardroom and enjoy the isolation and serenity of nature.
Groups vary in sizes from 15 to 90, although larger groups are only taken with special arrangement in specific cases, as they exceed RSCN's normal capacity.
Wild Jordan also manages a centre in downtown Amman that promotes and sells all its crafts and tourism programmes. The Centre is perched high above old Amman with stunning views over the capital.
Eco-tourism is a growing sector in Jordan, and more tourists are coming to Jordan to seek adventure and discover the natural beauty of the Kingdom, whether as part of a group or as individual travellers, and the eco-tourism sites and operations being developed by Wild Jordan are making a significant contribution to the development of Jordan's tourism industry.
Locally, there is rising interest from the public and private sectors to use RSCN's nature reserves as a backdrop for trainings and corporate retreats, as more individuals and entities learn about the existence of the reserves and are keen to experience something new, local and easily accessible.
In recent years, there has also been a rise in corporate social responsibility within the private sector, and RSCN's sites offer a chance to give back to society by supporting the protection of Jordan's natural heritage and local communities, while enjoying a unique experience and service.
