GSTC Member, Petra Development and Tourism Region Authority (PDTRA) issued the “Petra Five Promises” guideline in early 2025, following public consultations conducted in December 2024 across six Petra communities. Developed under the Petra Tourism Development Master Plan 2023–2033, which was prepared in partnership with the Japan International Cooperation Agency (JICA) and launched in November 2024.
Under the slogan “WE ARE PETRA”, the Master Plan aspires to make Petra a sustainable, inclusive, and resilient tourism destination to preserve Petra’s identity, pass its legacy to future generations, and ensure that no one is left behind.
In the course of preparing the Master Plan, PDTRA and JICA have undertaken GSTC Sustainable Tourism Training in collaboration with GSTC and EcoHotels, and the Master Plan aligns its tourism strategies with the GSTC Standards, the global standards for sustainable tourism and travel.
Based on the above, “Petra Five Promises” is a voluntary guideline for tourism businesses, local communities, and visitors to collaborate on shaping Petra’s future, structured around four sustainability pillars: Society, Economy, Culture, and Environment.
Society: It pledged to foster comfort, safety, and ethical behavior, encouraging stakeholders to provide authentic local experiences, peaceful interactions, and appropriate conduct.
Economy: It is committed to providing inclusive opportunities, promoting fairness, and supporting local sourcing.
Culture: It affirmed the protection of Petra’s heritage, respect for local traditions, and promotion of authentic cultural exchange between tourists and residents.
Environment: It emphasized the conservation of natural resources, waste reduction, and sustainable water usage, and encouraged visitors to cooperate in these efforts.
PDTRA described the guideline as a voluntary guide for tourism stakeholders to shape Petra’s future together, embodying the slogan “WE ARE PETRA” and the philosophy that “we, the government, locals, and tourists, are Petra.”
The “Petra Five Promises” embraces the fundamental philosophy that it stands as part of Petra’s over 2,000-year history, bearing responsibility to ensure the sustainability of its past, present, and future. PDTRA commits to enhance tourism activities based on the “Petra Five Promises” as part of its ongoing efforts to develop Petra into a model of sustainable tourism.
