15 August 2008

Mid Arava

Most of the three million international visitors, including 30,000 Australians who will visit Israel this year will limit their Israel experience to a well beaten tourism track which includes Jerusalem, the Galilee, The Mediterranean coast and the Dead Sea. Many northern Europeans travel to Eilat on IsraelÃ¢â¬â¢s Red Sea coast, many arriving by direct charter flights to soak up the sun.

However, most tourists to Israel tend to ignore the many scenic splendours of IsraelÃ¢â¬â¢s Negev desert and the Arava region which bestrides IsraelÃ¢â¬â¢s border with Jordan.

This week a delegation from IsraelÃ¢â¬â¢s Mid Arava region visited Sydney and Melbourne to generate interest in the area and relate their inspiring story.

The Mid Arava is located midway between the Dead Sea and the Red Sea in southern Israel along the Jordanian border.

In this largely pristine desert region which makes up 10% of IsraelÃ¢â¬â¢s land area just over 3,000 hardy citizens live the dream of IsraelÃ¢â¬â¢s first Prime Minister David Ben Gurion to make the desert bloom and they have done so with 21st century high tech ingenuity and have achieved astounding success.

In an area which receives less than 25 millimetres a year of rain they actually farm and export tropical fish and tropical fruits and vegetables to Europe!!

The farmers of the Mid Arava have trained hundreds of people from developing countries in the skills of arid land faming and in recent years with funding support from the Australian Jewish community they have also begun to develop an attractive sustainable tourism infrastructure.

The region is located astride the Nabatean spice route which begins in Yemen and finishes in Gaza and most famously includes Petra. In 2005 The Israeli portion of the spice route was accorded UN world heritage status.

As the crow flies the Mid Arava is less than 50 kms from Petra and in common with Petra has many remnants of Nabatean and biblical and history including the worldÃ¢â¬â¢s oldest Israelite fortress along with some little known but impressive archaeological sites.

The various farming communities of the Mid Arava have established their own bed and breakfast accommodation,. There are health spas fed from hot mineral from deep within the earth.

The Arava has an abundance of desert wildlife, fresh air and rugged scenery well suited to four wheel drive expeditions or challenging hikes. The people of the Arava are friendly and have embraced the Bedouin spirit of genuine desert hospitality.

The Israelis in this region have good relations with their Bedouin neighbours and visitors can sample both Israeli Jewish and Bedouin hospitality,

The Sapir Centre is an eco tourism and information Centre, a calm and refreshing oasis in the middle of the Arava desert. From the Sapir Centre visitors can explore the natural beauty, spice route history and modern agricultural miracle which has been wrought in this arid region.

Travel professionals should check out the web site www.arava.co.il/tourism for more details this Israeli tourist surprise packet.

A Special Greece and Mediterranean Travel Report