Amman hosts forum showcasing staircase tourism as heritage

Ammon

a day ago

Ammon News - The Greater Amman Municipality (GAM) on Sunday organized the inaugural Omani Staircase Tourism Forum at Staircase No. 3 in Philadelphia, opposite the Roman Amphitheater, with participation from the General Authority for Popular Arts, several Jordanian universities, cultural associations, and civil society organizations.
According to a GAM statement, Deputy Director of Amman City for Community Development, Hatem Hamlan, who inaugurated the forum on behalf of the Mayor of Greater Amman, highlighted the historical significance of the city's stone staircases, carved by earlier generations to facilitate movement across Amman's distinctive topography and connect its elevated districts. He emphasized the role these architectural features play in enhancing urban tourism, especially in heritage-rich neighborhoods.
Hamlan said the forum is part of a broader series of cultural initiatives GAM plans to implement in collaboration with various partners to revive and preserve Amman's tangible and intangible heritage.
Mohammed Abu Zaitoun, Executive Director of the Amman Old Neighborhoods and Tourist Routes Development Project, noted that hosting the event on the Philadelphia Staircase exemplifies innovative urban tourism, leveraging historic urban infrastructure to attract visitors and stimulate the local economy. He described staircase tourism as an emerging facet of the urban tourism economy, aiming to integrate community participation, cultural heritage, and sustainable development.
He explained that this approach promotes community ownership by involving municipalities, tourism authorities, local youth initiatives, and residents, thereby transforming cultural events into sustainable development models rooted in cultural diversity and strategic investment in urban infrastructure.
Mohammed Wahib, Chairman of the Forum's Organizing Scientific Committee, stated that Omani staircase tourism represents a pioneering concept in the Middle East. He highlighted archaeological evidence of the world's oldest staircase discovered at Ain Ghazal, dating back over 6,000 years BC, emphasizing that staircase tourism in Oman and across the region could yield significant social and economic benefits.
Ghassan Owais, Chairman of the Popular Arts Association, remarked that the forum marks the beginning of further academic and cultural engagements centered on Amman's historic staircases.
Cultural and academic figures participating in the forum included Alian Adwan, President of the Jordanian Writers and Authors Union, who underscored Jordan's deep historical heritage as a pillar of national identity.
Saad Yaqoub, President of the Historians Union, pointed to Amman's rich civilizational legacy, spanning from the Ammonites through Roman and Islamic periods, visible in landmarks such as the Roman Theater and the city's stone staircases, which narrate the story of Amman's evolution.