Palestinian Authority enjoys record incoming tourism

The Palestinian Authority has witnessed an impressive growth in incoming tourism over the past year. According to statistics released by the Civil Administration in the West Bank, about 1,123,000 tourists have visited Bethlehem and Jericho during the first nine months of 2008, record numbers since the period before the intifada. This represents a 96.5% increase in the numbers of tourists visiting Bethlehem and 42.3% increase in the numbers visiting Jericho (compared to the same period in 2007).

The Tourism Ministry and the Civil Administration attribute this important increase to the significant improvement in the security situation in the West Bank in general and the Palestinian Authority areas in particular during the last two years and to the easing of movement restrictions for residents and tourists crossing between the Palestinian Authority and Israel.

"Tourism stimulates economic growth and therefore represents a challenge and a mutual interest to the two nations," said Tourism Minister Ruhama Avraham-Balila.

"We have succeeded in restoring a sense of security to tourists in Israel and now we must work together to market the tourist destinations in Israel and the Palestinian Authority as attractive and appealing, for the sake of both our nations," he continued.

Head of the Civil Administration in the West Bank, Brigadier-General Yoav Mordechai, noted that "the dramatic growth in tourists visiting Bethlehem and Jericho has provided a boost to the Palestinian economy. We are expecting even greater numbers in advance of the upcoming Christmas period and we anticipate that a new record will be achieved, since the period preceding the violence of the year 2000."