The ongoing war in Gaza and fears of an impending Israeli military invasion of Rafah continue to impact Israeli and Palestinian tourism, with no end in sight to the recession.
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Israel’s Central Bureau of Statistics reported that the number of tourist arrivals increased from 68,100 in February to 79,500 in March 2024, compared to 375,600 in March 2023. It was significantly lower than that. The total number of tourist arrivals from January to March 2024 was 206,700, a significant decrease from the previous month. The number of tourists in the same period in 2023 was 966,200.
After the Oct. 7 Hamas attack, international airlines suspended flights to Israel due to safety concerns. Since the war began, tourist arrivals to Israel have fallen dramatically, with only 180,000 tourists arriving in the final quarter of 2023, compared to an expected 900,000.
According to the Central Bureau of Statistics, 415,300 Israelis traveled abroad in March 2024, up from 343,800 in February but still below the 746,300 in March 2023. Passengers at Ben Gurion Airport prepare to leave Israel. (Credit: GILI YAARI/FLASH90)
Tourism is not yet back to normal
Although some foreign airlines have resumed operations, Israeli tourism has not returned to normal, although it has gradually recovered.
The Palestinian Ministry of Tourism and Antiquities reported that the number of visitors to the West Bank and East Jerusalem reached 2.5 million from January to early October 2023. Since then, this number has plummeted to less than 1%. The ongoing war is causing Palestinian cities to lose around $2.5 million every day, with 60% of those losses affecting Bethlehem.
In Bethlehem in particular, 90 antique stores and 450 craft stores have suffered heavy losses and have closed. The crisis has also had a major impact on the city’s tour guides, photographers, pottery studios and street vendors, with most losing their jobs.
“The Palestinian tourism industry once had 35,000 employees, but less than 3% are currently employed,” Majid Ishaq, director of marketing at the Palestinian Ministry of Tourism and Antiquities, told The Media Line.
“There are very few religious tourists in the cities of Jericho, Nazareth and Bethlehem, most of whom are Christians, but most of them come via Jordan, as many foreign flights do not fly to Tel Aviv,” he added.
Ishak also pointed out that the exclusion of holy places from the catalogs of international tour operators is a major challenge as holy places are now considered dangerous travel destinations. Meanwhile, neighboring countries such as Jordan, Egypt, and even Syria are considered safer than Israel and Palestine and attract more tourists.
“While some tour operators from East Jerusalem are able to move freely within Israel and the Palestinian territories, some tour operators, primarily from the West Bank, do not require permits to work in Israel. Some people,” Ishak explained. “Because of the war, many people are unable to renew their permits, making it almost impossible to obtain an Israeli permit in time,” he added.
Unlike Israel, which benefits from domestic tourism, travel is extremely difficult for Palestinians. Ishak said it could take several hours to pass through Israeli checkpoints, making the journey between the Palestinian territories and Israel untenable for a day trip. He also noted that the Palestinian Ministry of Tourism is in financial trouble due to the economic crisis in the West Bank and Gaza Strip and a decline in income from Palestinians who previously worked in Israel.
In Israel, by contrast, government subsidies have helped keep parts of the industry afloat. “Our ministry is financially supporting those affected by the tourism recession, paying 80% of the salaries of people working in travel agencies. We are also providing marketing support. Peleg Lewis, international affairs advisor to Israel’s tourism minister, told The Media Line.
However, complications remain. “The situation is particularly complicated because freelance guides do not receive a salary. The ministry has tried to employ them in schools, but so far without much success,” Lewis added.
Lewis noted that domestic tourism, including visits by faith-affiliated organizations and discounted accommodation for migrants from northern Israel, has helped the country withstand a crisis worse than the coronavirus. But the industry is concerned about the possibility of military escalation between Israel and Hezbollah in the north.
“Despite this crisis, we expect religious tourism, as well as support from international activists and Muslims, to boost our economy,” Ishaq asserted.
Meanwhile, Lewis speculated that “while overall foreign tourism to Israel may remain stable, Israeli travel abroad will change.” Many people are likely to choose destinations that they feel are safer, and Western Europe probably won’t be one of them. ”
