One year after the outbreak of the war in the Holy Land, the Israeli Ministry of Tourism published a statistic showing the impact of the war on the tourism sector and the characteristics of hundreds of thousands of tourists who visited Israel during that period. Since the beginning of the war, some 853,000 tourists have been registered, arriving mainly, in descending order, from the United States, France, Great Britain, Russia and the Philippines.
The data showed that 62% of the arriving tourists were Jews and 29% were Christians. About 44% of the tourists came to visit friends and relatives, 28% stated that the main purpose was classical tourism and 13% came for business. For 73% of the tourists, it was a second visit.
The foreign tourism sector lost USD 4.675 billion, while the domestic tourism sector lost USD 190 million.
The effects of the war did not spare even the Palestinian tourism sector, knowing that the growth of the Christmas City economy depends entirely on tourists visiting the Church of the Nativity.
Jeries Qumsieh
Spokesperson for the Palestinian Ministry of Tourism and Antiquities
The tourism sector has suffered the greatest losses in the Palestinian economy, amounting to approximately $2 million per day. The Ministry of Tourism and Antiquities, in cooperation with the private tourism sector, is trying to work on plans and programmes to restore the tourism wheel, as soon as political and security conditions become available.
The advisor to the Israeli Minister of Tourism, Ambassador Peleg Levy, expressed hope that the situation at the northern border would calm down and mentioned Christian tourism.
Ambassador Peleg Lewi
Foreign Affairs Advisor to the Minister of Tourism
It is important to highlight that Jerusalem is safe, Nazareth is safe, Capernaum is safe, and the passage to Bethlehem is available. I hope and expect that more Christian tourists will arrive during the important period of Christmas and New Year.
The Israeli Ministry of Tourism continues its efforts to encourage tourism even in these difficult times, as it will oppose the cancellation of the 0% value added tax on tourists and work to improve, among other things, the infrastructure.
Ambassador Peleg Lewi
Foreign Affairs Advisor to the Minister of Tourism
We are taking advantage of this period to invest in infrastructure, and this is very important. For example the shade work in Capernaum, and in recent months some 30 million shekels have been allocated for infrastructure. We are also working in Rome and we hope that the Pope will visit the country next year, as it has been 25 years since the last Jubilee year.
The work to encourage tourism is not limited to one place or another.
Ambassador Peleg Lewi
Foreign Affairs Advisor to the Minister of Tourism
In a few weeks, for example, the Minister will visit the Philippines, which is the third largest country for pilgrims. This is a very important religious tourism.
There was also a decrease in the prices of hotel accommodation. The Israeli Ministry of Tourism received numerous applications for subsidies to build or enlarge hotels and 200 million shekels were allocated to enlarge the hotels, adding 756 rooms.
Based on the pace of tourist arrivals until the outbreak of war, a new record was expected, surpassing the 2019 incoming tourism record of about 4.5 million tourists. In 2023, only 3 million tourists were recorded. According to recent arrival rates (80,000 to 100,000 tourists per month), 2024 is expected to end with about 1 million tourist arrivals from abroad.
Ambassador Peleg says that the Holy Land offers everything a tourist could need, first and foremost for the heart, as it embraces the holy places of the three religions, has delicious food, beaches and diversity.
Ambassador Peleg Lewi
Foreign Affairs Advisor to the Minister of Tourism
We invite everyone to come to the country now. The Pilgrimage of Hope brings confidence to this country, regardless of who we are and where we come from. This is first and foremost important for our soul, our heart and our faith!
