Amman - Fifty German-speaking women carrying the first name "Petra" visited the ancient city of Petra on Monday as part of a Jordanian plan to spur European interest in the rock-carved city which last year became one of the world's New Seven Wonders, according to the state-run media.

The 50 were among 1,000 women from Germany, Austria and Switzerland who responded to an advertisement on the website of the Jordanian Tourism Promotion Authority to take part in a competition entitled "Petra to Petra", the TPA Director General Nayef al-Fayez said.

Al-Fayez, who accompanied the European women - 29 from Germany, nine from Austria and 12 from Switzerland - during their visit considered the move as "a milestone in the process for promoting Jordan's tourism products in German-speaking markets".

He expected the experiment to be instrumental in prompting more European tourist groups to visit Petra, which was built by Arab Nabateans 2,000 years ago. (dpa)