Time to say ‘This year in Jerusalem’!
But finally, the winds of change are blowing, and Israel's tourism train is getting back on track!
The tourist sector in Israel has endured years of turbulence and disruption. To say that it has had a negative impact on thousands of Israelis whose livelihoods depend on incoming tourism, is an understatement.
The COVID-19 pandemic followed by the Gaza war, totally decimated the entire industry. Over the past 16 months, Ben Gurion airport was a surreal ghost- town, as were all major tourist sites. Popular destinations, such as Masada or Jerusalem’s Jewish Quarter, were eerily deserted, with few overseas tourists braving the volatile security situation. For those whose income depended on the sector, this created a financial disaster, with many having to re-qualify or in some cases, leave for work opportunities overseas.
But finally, the winds of change are blowing, and Israel’s tourism train is getting back on track! Tour guides who served in the IDF can remove their helmets and olive-green uniforms and finally dust out their tour-guiding hats: The good times are set to roll again.
Though Passover bookings, historically a popular time in the tourism calendar to visit Israel, are still sluggish, the Israeli Ministry of Tourism is projecting three million inbound tourists to arrive in 2025. The dramatic fall in inbound tourism was largely due to both security fears and to the fact that most airlines ceased flying to Israel, causing a massive increase in ticket prices. Now airlines are beginning to return to normal pre-war schedules and as prices return to normal, tourists are expected to return to Israel in droves.
Summer is looking to be massive with Israel hosting the Maccabiah Games, the third largest sporting event on the globe. During the war, many hotels have taken the opportunity to refurbish and modernise facilities, and tour companies are reporting phones are ringing once again as thousands of tourists, who have been keeping their distance because of the war, are finally making plans to do so.
Significant upgrades have been completed at major tourist sites, from the upgraded state-of-the-art Tower of David Museum in Jerusalem, which uses interactive hi-tech to showcase the archaeological richness of Jerusalem, the connection of the three monotheistic faiths to this city, and of course, sensational view of both the old and new sections of our capital; to the stunning ANU museum in Tel Aviv, emphasising the richness and diversity of the Jewish people, culture and history.
One of the huge draws for Israel is its stunning diversity of natural sites, from the northern most coral reef in the world situated in Eilat, to the snow-capped Hermon in the north. The National Parks Authority has been assiduously renewing and upgrading many of its stunning parks and the vibrant and world class metropolises of Tel Aviv and Jerusalem are back to their pre-war glory.
It is interesting to note, as Yossi Klein Halevi, Donniel Hartman, and other commentators observed, Israel is now safer post-war than it was on October 6, 2023. This is due to many factors. Syria has imploded, and both the Hamas and Hezbollah have been neutered thanks to the tenacious and heroic efforts of the IDF.
Tourism will of course have a different feel to it. The narrative of the history of this land has been forever altered by both the tragic events of the October 7 attacks, and the military response and the extraordinary civilian response.
As more and more airlines finally begin to resume their flights to this special land, now is the time to book your holiday, mission, conference or bar/bat mitzvah trip. This is not just another place for Jews to observe “his story” or “her story”, this land encapsulates “our story”, the hope of two thousand years to be a free people in our land.
Many Jews around the world have wondered how they can support their beleaguered homeland. Well, one of the most effective ways is simply to visit, to show Israelis that we are with them and to demonstrate our patriotism by coming here and enjoying what this extraordinary land has to offer. As the Book of Psalms (125: 5-6) so eloquently states, “those who have sown in tears will reap in joy.” We look forward to welcoming you home!
Tuvia Book is a licensed Ministry of Tourism national guide who has spent the last 15 months in the IDF reserves on the Gaza front and is enthusiastically preparing to welcome you back to Israel.booktuvia.com
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