Petra Park rangers leading improved visitor experience and safety

Petra - Forty new rangers hired at Petra Archaeological Park (PAP) completed three weeks of ranger training sponsored by the US Agency for International Development (USAID) and graduated from the ranger program on Thursday at a ceremony held at Petra. Secretary General of the Ministry of Tourism and Archaeology, H.E. Mr. Farouk al Hadidi, awarded certificates to each of the new rangers and their five new supervisors. The role of the Park Ranger is to protect the archaeology and natural resources of the site and help ensure that visitors have a good experience by enforcing park rules.

Steve Gonyea, Director of Economic Growth Office at USAID, said, “All over the world Park Rangers are providing services to enhance the park visitor’s experience.  Jordan is to be commended for establishing a ranger system at Petra that will offer the same services international visitors expect. We are pleased that USAID could assist in training these new rangers.

“Having park rangers at Petra has been a long term recommendation of the U.S. National Park Service,” explained Lawence Belli, a retired Park Service Superintendent, who oversaw two weeks of training in ranger skills along with four other U.S. National Park Rangers. “We covered over 20 topics ranging from emergency evacuations, providing information to visitors, enforcing the park rules, locating missing people, cooperation with other agencies including tourist police and civil defense officers,” explained Belli.

There were more than 200 applicants for the ranger positions and only 40 were selected.  “These rangers are very dedicated to their new job and more than up to the task,” commented Belli.  Included in the training was an 82-page Ranger Manual in Arabic. Each ranger was also provided with a backpack with equipment and a First Aid kit, temporary uniforms and badges.   

The Jordan Tourism Development Project II conducted the first week of training in First Aid, tourism English, and hospitality skills.  “Rangers are a vital part of the Petra experience and they can help to ensure that visits are safer and more enjoyable and to minimize negative impact to the site,” said Mr. Ibrahim Osta, Chief of Party of the USAID/Jordan Tourism Development Project II. “Equipping these rangers with hospitality and English language skills will enable them to interact better with tourists and positively affect their Petra experience.”

The ceremony was attended by the PAP Director, Governor of Wadi Mousa, Petra Regional Authority Director, presidents of Petra tourism associations, President of Al Hussein Bin Tala University, Dean of Tourism and Archaeology College at the university, as well as other local government, civil defense and police force representatives.