Being a World Heritage Site attracts several thousand tourists per year to visit this splendid and remote architectural marvel. Most tourists plan their trips to Shibam as part of an extended tour of Yemen. The region of Wadi Hadhramawt is full of historical markers and splendid desert sceneries. Unfortunately, the packed tours will set to show you the most number of sites within the shortest period of time. The time allotted for Shibam is therefore reduced to a couple of hours or less, barely enough time to make a quick walking tour around the main city streets.

As of July 2006 the Local Council of Shibam will be charging a small entrance fee to enter the city. Make sure that your tour operator provides you with your entrance ticket. Tickets can be pre-purchased from the main tour operators, major hotels in the area, as well as directly from the tourism office in Shibam. The revenues form the sale of these tickets will be entirely reserved for projects aimed at preserving the urban heritage of the city. Tourist fees will insure a sustainable source of income to cover the continuous rehabilitation costs of the city.

Despite all our efforts at the Shibam Urban Development Project to encourage a more extended stay, the tourists themselves must be more discerning in the selection of their travel plans. To know more on how to plan your trip in Shibam, go to: Planning Your Trip.