Issued in the Official Gazette on Sunday, the system for leasing and owning immovable property outside the boundaries of the Petra Archaeological Reserve or other archaeological sites in the Petra Tourism Development Region.
The government approved in December 2025 the system for leasing and owning immovable property outside the Petra Archaeological Reserve or other archaeological sites in the Petra Tourism Development Region for the year 2025.
The system comes as a fundamental step for the purpose of stimulating development in the Petra district, by enabling citizens to legally and organized invest their properties after they had been frozen over the past years, and enhancing their capacity to establish partnerships within licensed institutions capable of implementing service, tourist, and developmental projects that serve both the local community and tourists alike.
The system provides a legislative framework and clear regulatory controls that stimulate disciplined local investment and preserve rights, while fully conserving the Petra Reserve and other archaeological sites, and without including them in any form of leasing or ownership.
The system aims to contribute to local and economic development by attracting institutional investments and providing new opportunities for citizens within a clear legal environment, without compromising the historical identity or national uniqueness of the Petra region.
Under the system, a specialized committee will be established to audit and review various transactions. This committee will consist of various relevant entities, including the Land and Survey Department; no leasing or ownership contract shall be valid except with its approval, and within clear monitoring mechanisms.
The system allows only Jordanian legal persons to own lands outside the Petra Reserve and other archaeological sites, provided that the share of Jordanian partners in the legal person is more than 51% of the shares, taking into account the principle of reciprocal treatment of all non-Jordanian partners, and in case of multiple nationalities of any partner, the same condition applies, with invalidation of ownership in case of non-compliance with the legal and system requirements.
For ownership, the approval of the Council of Ministers based on the recommendation of the Council of Commissioners of the Petra Tourism Development Region Authority and approval from the Ministry of Interior are required, and according to the master plan of the Petra Region.
As for leasing, it allows leasing immovable property outside the Petra Reserve and archaeological sites to non-Jordanians and legal persons, provided that the principle of reciprocal treatment is observed, and leasing is invalidated in case of non-compliance.
