Abstract
The archaeological site of Umm Qais is a popular tourist destination for both local and foreign tourists who come to appreciate the site’s archaeological history, scenic landscape, and panoramic perspective. The site was the focus of tourism planning, which included the construction of amenities and infrastructure, the creation of tourist circuits, and archaeological management. This development was linked to a rise in visitor numbers as well as the provision of a high level of service, such as parking, tickets, kiosks, restaurants, and cafés, to welcome visitors. The purpose of this study was to examine the impacts of on-site tourist services and infrastructures, as well as those of visitors, and their geographical and temporal scope on the site. The study used a qualitative approach based on case study fieldwork as a research method to achieve this goal. Personal observation, interviews with site-related stakeholders, and a checklist were used to collect data during the fieldwork. Both tourism infrastructure and visitors were proven to have a detrimental influence on tourist attractions. The site’s aesthetic pollution and structural deterioration were caused by tourism services and infrastructure. Graffiti, vandalism, and trash left by visitors exerted strong negative impacts. Furthermore, spatial and temporal negative impacts were determined by the patterns of seasonal movement of visitors and the location of infrastructure. Thus, most of the impacts were concentrated in a small portion of the site, among the western theater, the panoramic view, and the traditional Ottoman village. This research sheds light on these challenges and makes recommendations in the areas of heritage management, tourism, and visitor impact management that may be of interest to on-the-ground decision makers as well as academics.
Highlights
Umm Qais is one of Jordan’s most important archaeological and heritage sites, located in the north of the country (Figure 1)
The purpose of this study is to look at the negative impacts of tourism and tourists on the site of Umm Qais
This study aims to investigate the impacts of tourism and tourists on archaeological sites
Summary
Umm Qais is one of Jordan’s most important archaeological and heritage sites, located in the north of the country (Figure 1). The site is bordered in the north by the Yarmouk River, in the south by Wadi Al-Arab, in the east by Ar-Ramtha, and on the west by the Jordan Valley [1]. The archaeological site, which covers an area of approximately. 14 fenced square km, is divided into two sections: the classical era zone, which includes various archaeological monuments, and the Ottoman period zone, which includes conventional residential dwellings [2]. The hours of operation vary throughout the year (8:00 h–19:00 h in summer, 08:00 h–16:00 h in winter). Based on the revised Law of Antiquity No 21 for the year 2003 and the Tourism Law No
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