This paper discusses a novel technological approach using virtual heritage technology to reflect Umm Qais heritage’s intertwining and interdependent nature that shapes its identity and value today. It developed the first model of a “virtual living museum” that brings both the tangible and intangible heritage of the site and community together into an integrated virtual environment that gives equal importance to local community narratives, traditions and history. We argue that integrating both human and digital records enriches the virtual twin of cultural heritage sites as a living and more humane experience that best represents the multi-layered and overlapping history of ancient Gadara’s archaeology and the cultural practices within Hara Fouqa and its Ottoman houses. As heritage is neither one dimensional nor frozen in time, virtual experiences must be fluid, dynamic, inclusive, integrative and open to change, reflecting living historical narratives.

This study investigated the impact of spatial configuration on tourist movement patterns and its role in managing cultural heritage destinations in the city of Madaba. Understanding tourist movement patterns is important for the development of sustainable tourism practices in cultural heritage destinations, as it can help to identify attractions of high tourist impact and inform the development of strategies to mitigate the negative impacts on site preservation and management. Madaba is one of the largest homes to ancient mosaics and is one of Jordan’s most important cultural heritage tourism destinations. This study was carried out using a variety of methods, including observation, site exploration, tourist diaries, questionnaires, and interviews. Space syntax was one of the spatial analytical tools used to assess connectivity and integration. The study found that the arrangement of attraction points and routes, physical and visual connectivity, accessibility, and the location of tourist activities all influenced the spatial behavior of tourists. The findings of this study can be used to guide management and development policies such as redistributing tourist flow, managing and developing tourism resources, and promoting the adaptation of sustainable tourism.

Urban expansion within Greater Irbid Municipality (GIM) witnessed an extraordinary rise, expanding approximately ninefold between 1967 and 2020. Recent trends revealed a shift in urban growth towards southern and eastern regions. These dynamics carry critical implications for urban planners and environmental managers, urging a comprehensive understanding of the driving factors behind this expansion to anticipate future challenges. Employing logistic regression (LR) and geographically weighted logistic regression (GWLR) analyses using remote sensing data and GIS, spatially variant coefficients for driving factors emerged, illuminating the evolving landscape of urban development drivers within GIM. Yarmouk University historically promoted urban expansion, but recent proximity to Yarmouk University and JUST University, coupled with higher existing building percentages, inhibited further urbanization. The analysis also revealed that elevation and slope had negligible impacts on urban expansion. These findings underline the evolving dynamics of urban development drivers within the study region. The local perspective depicted significant spatial disparities in coefficients, highlighting variations in magnitude and direction. GWLR emerged as a more robust methodology, effectively capturing regional variations and enhancing model reliability. These findings hold immense value for informing current and future urban planning practices in Greater Irbid Municipality. Proactively addressing identified challenges and understanding the intricate dynamics of urban expansion can assist Irbid in shaping a sustainable and resilient future, avoiding potential pitfalls in its urban development endeavors.

Purpose: The purpose of this paper is to present a “bottom-up approach” for cultural tourism management in the old city of As-Salt in Jordan. The city of As-Salt has unique historic buildings that represent Jordan’s traditional urban life; however, it is rarely promoted in the tourism map of Jordan. Design/methodology/approach: This paper assessed the existing local policies and strategies dealing with the case of As-Salt, and reviewed some other international and regional case studies. The method adopted included semi-structured interviews and designated questionnaires directed to the most relevant stakeholders and visitors. The assessment process depended on “Integrated Cultural Heritage Management Approach” in order to identify the parameters that needed to be considered while planning for a sustainable management approach in the city. Findings: The results showed many managerial problems and gaps in dealing with the core of the city as a tourist attraction. Results and recommendations mainly relied on the need for an entity to be an official umbrella to guide the relationship between heritage protection and tourism development in the city. A new scenario of tourist itineraries in the city is presented with new idea of developing cultural events and activities. Originality/value: No similar prior studies were carried out in As-Salt that are tackling this subject. And it is hoped that this approach will lead and guide other similarly situated destinations as they develop plans and approaches for their cities.

Purpose: The purpose of this paper is to present a framework for the adaptive re-use of wheat milling buildings setting in modern urban contexts in Jordan. This paper also aims to highlight the industrial heritage with a focus on wheat milling buildings, which date back to the beginning of the 20th century, as they document and represent significant aspects of the socio-cultural history of Jordan.Design/methodology/approach: The approach to this statement will be through a theoretical investigation into the notion of industrial heritage, a historical overview of wheat milling in Jordan, as well as a case study analysis to support the theoretical framework following a value-based approach for the case of Baboor Al-Qisar. Baboor Al-Qisar is a wheat milling structure that the Department of Antiquities (DoA) is willing to adaptively reuse as an industrial museum that tells the local narrative of wheat milling and points out the non-physical values associated with the building’s original use.Findings: The paper introduces a framework for wheat milling buildings incorporation within the modern urban context as industrial heritage museums or socio-cultural facilities. The findings offer a reflection on approaching similar case studies as a tool for their conservation, management and promotion to create new tourist destinations as a form of sustainable urban regeneration.Originality/value: This research bridges the gap between practice and theory in terms of adaptive reuse strategies within the Jordanian local context. No similar studies have been done on wheat milling structures from the 20th century in the country with local community engagement as an integral part that is carried out within the functionality and future use of the site.

الأهداف: يهدف البحث إلى توضيح كيفية إعادة بناء المواقع الأثرية بطرائق علمية سليمة، وتأكيد أهمية دقة التوثيق في عملية إعادة الإعمار الافتراضي. كما يهدف البحث إلى زيادة فهم الزوار لموقع مسجد جبل القلعة الأثري في عمان، وتشجيع المؤسسات العاملة في مجال التراث الثقافي على استخدام التقنيات الحديثة؛ لتوثيق وتفسير وعرض التراث الثقافي." المنهجية: إعادة بناء مسجد جبل القلعة يتطلب مراجعة مبادئ التصور الافتراضي للتراث الثقافي، كما جاء في المواثيق الدولية مثل ميثاق لندن (2006) وميثاق إشبيلية (2011). دراسة أمثلة محلية وعالمية لاستخدام إعادة البناء الافتراضي لتوضيح المواقع التاريخية وتقديمها للجمهور، وتقييمها لاستخلاص إرشادات عملية. جمع المعلومات واستعراض البقايا الأثرية والخصائص والقياسات لأجزاء المسجد، مع إنشاء نموذج ثلاثي الأبعاد دقيق. تحليل المعلومات واستنتاجات موثقة تساهم في بناء واقع افتراضي علمي للمسجد في جبل القلعة بدقة وموثوقية النتائج: توصلت الدراسة إلى أن مستوى اليقين في إعادة البناء الافتراضي يختلف، ويحمل عدة احتمالات. لذا، من الضروري أن يتم توضيح مستويات الدقة للزائر. اقترحت الدراسة استخدام...