The Bedouins of Wadi Rum are at the heart of local tourism services. They provide tours, guides and facilities, including campsites. They also run restaurants and small shops in the villages that provide meals and basic supplies for visitors. Their guide services include highly experienced mountain and trekking guides who have an unmatched knowledge of the local area and speak fluently in several languages. Increasingly, these guides and other local people are developing adventure tourism packages and can organize camel, horse and hiking treks throughout the protected area.
Using local guides and services brings many benefits to the protected area. In particular, it enables the people to continue earning a living from the land and helps to ensure that the protected area will always be protected.