Israel’s tourism growth in 2013 – a bright spot in Middle East tourism

Figures released by the Israel Ministry of Tourism indicate that in 2013 Israel attracted an all-time record of nearly 3.6 million international visitors.

Figures released by the Israel Ministry of Tourism indicate that in 2013 Israel attracted an all-time record of nearly 3.6 million international visitors. This was a bright story in an otherwise gloomy picture of tourism to much of the Eastern Mediterranean, so severely affected by ongoing political instability and violence in Egypt, Libya and Tunisia, the carnage of the Syrian Civil War and its tragic spillover of related conflict in Lebanon and refugees into Lebanon, Southern Turkey, Iraq and Jordan.

While the growth of tourism to Israel in 2013 was relatively modest in percentage terms (2% up on 2012), the fact that tourism to Israel achieved any growth in a volatile regional environment is testament to successful marketing of Israel in its traditional Western European and North American markets and the impressive growth of arrivals from the states of former Soviet Union and Latin America. In fact, the former Soviet Union, including Russia, Ukraine, Moldova, Belarus and the Baltic states of Lithuania, Latvia and Estonia (a combined source of over 600,000 tourists to Israel) is now challenging the USA as Israel’s leading source of international tourists. This is something almost unimaginable 20 years ago when tourists to Israel from these countries could be counted in the hundreds.

Political tensions between Israel and the Fatah dominated Palestinian Authority of the West Bank are ongoing. Relations between Israel and Hamas dominated Gaza are continually on the brink of war. Despite this, the Palestinian economy, especially in the West Bank, benefited enormously from the growth of tourism to Israel. Although full 2013 Palestinian tourism statistics are yet to be released, (based on Palestinian tourism sources which indicated that in the 9 months Jan-Sep 2013 international arrivals had exceed 2 million)over 2.5 million international visitors are expected to have visited Palestinian territory in 2013 which, in alignment with growth of tourism to Israel, would be an all-time record.

The majority of tourists to Israel are Christian visitors who want to visit Christian Holy sites including Jerusalem, Nazareth, Acre, Caesarea, Dead Sea, Jaffa, the Sea of Galilee (all in Israeli administered territory). Most of those tourists also want to visit Bethlehem, Jericho, Hebron and Nablus all of which are wholly or partially in Palestinian (West Bank) administered territory. While Palestinian political leaders complain loudly and frequently about the security barriers between Israel and Palestinian controlled territory, tourists, especially those on organized tours, have few problems in crossing these barriers.

In fact, there is considerable, though rarely publicized cooperation between Israeli and Palestinian tourism officials to facilitate this cross border traffic. This was especially evident during the 2013 Christmas festivities in Bethlehem when independent and group tourists based in Jerusalem could obtain their passes to the religious services in Bethlehem and take chartered coaches to Bethlehem. During peak times such as Easter and Christmas when accommodation facilities in Jerusalem are stretched beyond capacity many of these groups stay in Bethlehem, Jericho and other Palestinian cities and towns. In fact, for many price conscious pilgrimage groups, this occurs throughout the year as accommodation prices in the West Bank are often cheaper than those in Israel.

The economies of Jericho and Bethlehem are largely based on servicing tourism and it is estimated that tourism accounts for 30% of Palestinian GDP in the West Bank. The situation in politically and religiously volatile Gaza (for obvious reasons) is far less positive. Since the Al Aqsa Intifada (October 2000-December 2003) during which tourism to both Israel and Palestinian territories slumped alarmingly, there has been a strong recovery of tourism and its economic benefits to both Israel and The West Bank.

Economic mutual self-interest drives cooperation between Israeli and Palestinian government tourism authorities and private sector companies. However, cooperation between Israelis and Palestinians in tourism starkly contrasts with most other aspects of Israel-Palestinian relations. It also demonstrates that mutual self-interest in tourism and the wider economic sphere has longer term potential to be a critical driver for a political settlement between Israeli and Palestinians.

The benefits of cooperation between Israelis and Palestinians in tourism pose awkward questions for proponents of boycotts, divestments and sanctions against Israel. When these people (allegedly in the interests of expressing solidarity with the Palestinians) call for a boycott of tourism to Israel, then how will people wishing to visit Palestine and contribute to its economy do so?

Palestinian territory for now, unless a future peace agreement changes the situation, is only accessible (except for that part of Gaza bordered by Egypt, which is currently closed) via Israeli territory and there are no direct international flights to the West Bank. In order to express their hatred of Israel, do the advocates of BDS really wish to bankrupt the Palestinian economy, deny thousands of Palestinians working in tourism their jobs and reduce it to international welfare dependency – just to make an empty political point? Travelers will continue to vote with their feet and travel to Israel and the Palestinian territories irrespective of the babble emanating from the mouths and web sites of BDS supporters.

The cooperation between Israelis and Palestinians in tourism may indeed take place through gritted teeth on both sides. However, during my long pre-academic involvement with Eastern Mediterranean and Israeli tourism, I witnessed a lot of genuine goodwill generated between Israeli and Palestinian tourism professionals and government officials. The basis of any peace process, however strained, is that there must be a viable peace dividend for all parties. For Israelis and Palestinians alike, tourism growth and the economic and employment benefits it currently generates and could increasingly generate in the future, is a ray of light in a troubled region.

The author of this article, Dr. David Beirman, is a Senior Lecturer in Tourism – University of Technology – Sydney. He was National Secretary of the Eastern Mediterranean Tourism Association (Australia) from 2000-2012 and Director of the Israel Govt. Tourism Office (Australasia/Oceania) 1994-2006.

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Linda Hohnholz

Editor in chief for eTurboNews based in the eTN HQ.

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