Tourist boom in Israel and Palestinian territories?
Israel and the Palestinian territories are reportedly experiencing something of an upturn in its tourism industry, with some hotels in Jerusalem and Bethlehem doubling their occupancy rates.
According to a report in The Guardian, the Israeli ministry of tourism has stated that 60,000 tourists arrived in the country for the Jewish Passover holiday at the end of April, representing an increase of some 40 per cent on the previous year’s figures.
One adviser to the minister for tourism reportedly said: “Nobody has been here for the last four years – so this year, with the atmosphere of peace, there is a big hunger.
We have been working hard with the Palestinian Authority to bring Christian pilgrims here. We have a common interest in bringing people here.” The newspaper also quotes Yosuf Daher, from the Arab Hotel Association: “In Jerusalem and Bethlehem we have had the best two weeks in the last four years. We need the calm to continue and more political developments. It is vital that the two sides keep talking.”
Report by Tim Gillett, News From Abroad Ltd www.newsfromabroad.com
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