LONDON: Jordan’s Minister of Tourism Emad Hijazeen and his Palestinian counterpart Hani Hayek have discussed collaboration in religious tourism as Jordan prepares for the kingdom’s 2030 celebrations to mark the 2,000th anniversary of Jesus’ baptism. Hijazeen and Hayek have talked about developing joint religious tourism packages to attract Christian pilgrims. They have also explored initiatives in staff training and museum curation to showcase regional heritage, according to the Jordan News Agency. Hayek has expressed gratitude for Jordan’s efforts in safeguarding Palestinian heritage — which is under constant threat from Israeli settlement expansion — including its support in registering the site of Sebastia in the West Bank as a UNESCO World Heritage site. The site, near Nablus, spans more than 5,000 years and reflects cultural influences of numerous powers in the Palestinian territories, including the Romans. Both Jordan and Palestine are home to important Christian holy sites, including the baptism site known as Bethany Beyond the Jordan; in the West Bank, the Church of the Nativity in Bethlehem; and the Church of the Holy Sepulchre in East Jerusalem.