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Tourism in Israel

From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

An aerial view of theSea of Galilee
Tel Aviv, the second-largest city in Israel
Timna Valley, in the southernNegev desert.

Tourism in Israel is a major economic sector and a significant source of national income.Israel offers a plethora of historical and religious sites, beach resorts, natural sites,archaeological tourism,heritage tourism,adventure tourism, andecotourism. For practical reasons, this article also covers tourism in theWest Bank and theGolan Heights, since it is closely interconnected with the mass tourism in Israel. In 2019, Israel saw a record 4.55 million tourist arrivals,[1] with tourism contributing NIS 20 billion to thenational economy in 2017.[2][3][4][5]

Jerusalem is a central destination for tourists, home to sites such as theWestern Wall, theChurch of the Holy Sepulchre, and theDome of the Rock. The city also offers numerous cultural and historical attractions, including theIsrael Museum andYad Vashem.Tel Aviv is renowned for its lively nightlife, cultural festivals, and Mediterranean beaches, and the "White City" district, appealing to both local and international visitors. Other notable attractions include theDead Sea, famous for its high salinity and therapeutic benefits,Haifa and itsBaháʼí Gardens, and archaeological sites likeMasada,Beit She'an andCaesarea. TheNegev Desert offers natural tourism opportunities at locations such asRamon Crater andTimna Valley, with activities including hiking, camel trekking, and stargazing, whileEilat'sCoral Beach Nature Reserve, located in theRed Sea, attracts diving enthusiasts. TheGalilee provides a variety of activities such as boating, cycling, and bird watching, alongside its religious sites. Israel has the highest number ofmuseums per capita in the world with over 200 museums.[6][7]

Religious tourism is very popular in Israel and in the West Bank. Over the millennia, theHoly Land has been amongst the most visited lands in the world.[8] Many sites in modern Israel are considered holy inChristianity andJudaism due to their mention in theHebrew Bible and theNew Testament. As of 2007, the Western Wall and theTomb of Rashbi were the most visited Jewish religious sites.[9] The most visited Christian holy sites include theChurch of the Holy Sepulchre in Jerusalem, theChurch of the Nativity inBethlehem, and theBasilica of the Annunciation inNazareth. The most visited Islamic religious sites are theTemple Mount (Al-Aqsa Mosque) in Jerusalem and theCave of the Patriarchs inHebron.

In 2017, the most popular paid tourist attraction was Masada.[10] The most visited city was Jerusalem and the most visited site was the Western Wall. The largest percentage of tourists came from the United States accounting for 19% of all tourists, followed by Russia, France, Germany, the United Kingdom, China, Italy, Poland, and Canada.[11]

Background

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Poster promoting tourism inPalestine, 1940s.

During Ottoman rule of theHoly Land, there was frequent travel from Mediterranean countries to the Holy Land despite wars between theOttoman Empire and Christian states of the region. By theearly modern period, people considered of lower social class were making pilgrimages to the Holy Land as well.[8]

Tourism to the Holy Land was mostly of religious nature until the 19th century, consisting of pilgrimages, with multiple monasteries and hospices hosting the pilgrims. In the 19th century, popular tourism began to reach the region with the advent of package tours byThomas Cook and Son.[12] Cook's company arrange travel for 12,000 people, among them Germany'sKaiser Wilhelm II.[12] With European powers taking more interest in the Holy Land by the second half of the 19th century, there was an increase in travel from Europe and the United States (a notable example isMark Twain's tour of the Holy Land). In the 20th century mass tourism toIsrael began.[8]

Most-visited cities

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Jerusalem

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Western Jerusalem

Jerusalem is the most-visited city with 3.5 million tourist arrivals annually as of 2017. One of theoldest cities in the world, it is the proclaimed capital of,[Note 1] and largest city of Israel, if the area and population ofIsraeli-occupiedEast Jerusalem are included. It is a holy city to the three majorAbrahamic religionsJudaism,Christianity, andIslam – and hosts many historical, archaeological, religious and other attractions.[13]

West Jerusalem was built starting in the 1800s with the expansion beyond the Old City walls, gradually expanded throughout the British Mandate, and continued after the creation of Israel in 1948. Selected tourist attractions in this area are:

East Jerusalem was captured by Israel in the 1967Six-day War and considered by the international community asPalestinian territory held underIsraeli occupation, although it was effectively unilaterally annexed in 1980 under theJerusalem Law. It is the location of:

The controversial status of East Jerusalem has been an issue when attempting to market Jerusalem to international tourists. In 2009, 2010, and again in 2015, the UKAdvertising Standards Authority ruled against a series ofIsraeli Ministry of Tourism advertising campaigns that displayed images and information about tourist sites located in East Jerusalem. The Authority wrote in its ruling that "the status of the occupied territory of the West Bank was the subject of much international dispute, and because we considered that the ad implied that the part of East Jerusalem featured in the image was part of the state of Israel, we concluded that the ad was likely to mislead." Israel rejected the ruling, with the Ministry of Tourism releasing a statement that said the ad provided "basic, accurate information to a prospective UK visitor". The ruling from 2009 also included criticism about Gaza, the West Bank and the Golan Heights being shown as part of Israel.[19][20]

Tel Aviv

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  • With 2.3 million tourist visits in 2013,[21]Tel Aviv is Israel's second-largest city and acosmopolitan, cultural and financialglobal city. The city'sgreater area is the largest with 3 million inhabitants. Tel Aviv exhibits a UNESCO world heritage area of Bauhaus architecture. The nearby historical city ofJaffa is experiencing a tourism boom. In 2010,National Geographic rankedTel Aviv as one of the world's ten bestbeach cities.[22]
  • Tel Aviv is called the "city that never sleeps" by the locals because of its vibrant nightlife scene. Tel Aviv was named "the gay capital of the Middle East" by theOut magazine.

Safed

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Inside of theAbuhav Synagogue.

Around the city, there are many nature reserves and archaeological sites notably the ancient synagogues.

Ancient Synagogue atBar'am National Park
Christmas Eve inNazareth
Shivta National Park, (World Heritage Site)
Old City ofAcre

Acre (Akko)

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Main article:Acre

Haifa

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Main article:Haifa

Tiberias

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Tiberias is one of the four holy cities in Judaism, overlooking theSea of Galilee.

Nazareth

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  • Nazareth is known as the 'Arab capital of Israel'.
  • VisitNazareth's old city and historical sites around the city
  • Jesus's hometown and the site of many of his reported acts and miracles.
  • Many churches, including TheChurch of the Annunciation, the largest church building in the Middle East. InRoman Catholic tradition, it marks the site where the ArchangelGabriel announced the future birth of Jesus to theVirgin Mary (Luke 1:26–31).
  • Starting point for theJesus Trail, a network of hiking routes connecting many sites from Jesus's life and ministry.

Beersheba

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Eilat

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Ashkelon

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Landmarks outside cities

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Sidonian Burial Caves at Beit Guvrin
Byzantine Church ruins atAshkelon National Park
Rosh HaNikra grottoes near the Israeli-Lebanese border crossing
Solomon pillars at theTimna Valley
Nahal Ayun waterfalls

Masada

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Masada is an ancient fortification in theSouthern District of Israel situated on top of an isolated rock plateau (akin to amesa) on the eastern edge of theJudaean Desert, overlooking theDead Sea.Herod the Great built palaces for himself on the mountain and fortified Masada between 37 and 31 BCE. According to Josephus, theSiege of Masada by troops of theRoman Empire towards the end of theFirst Jewish–Roman War ended in themass suicide of the 960Jewish rebels and their families hiding there. Masada is located 20 kilometres (12 miles) east ofArad. Masada is a UNESCO World Heritage Site and Israel's most popular tourist attraction only second to Jerusalem.

Caesarea

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Caesarea's ancient city includes Roman and Crusader ruins, such as the amphitheater and hippodrome, where live concerts of classical and popular music are frequently held, as well as the harbor from whichSt. Paul was taken as a prisoner to Rome.It is one of Israel's biggest archaeological sites.

Beit She'an

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Beit She'an (Scythopolis) was a RomanDecapolis city. One of the largest archaeological sites in the Middle East.

Beit She'arim

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Beit She'arim National Park was an ancient Jewish Necropolis, it is having many tombs of Jews with many significant signs like animals and menorah, it is also includes a Jewish city and an ancient synagogue ruins.

Biblical tells

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There are around 200 biblical Tells in Israel. Tel is an archaeological site that is not created by nature but by ruined human settlements. The biblical tells are from the Bronze Age and located on ancient cities that are mentioned in old testament. the chosen cities areTel Hazor,Tel Megiddo andTel Be'er Sheva which are also UNESCO World Heritage Sites. These tels also have some of the most ancient water systems in the world. Other biblical tells around Israel includeJerusalem,Tel Arad,Tel Gezer andTel Lachish.

Mount Carmel caves

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Sites of human evolution at Mount CarmelNahal Me'arot Nature Reserve is a site of human evolution at Mount Carmel in Haifa, Northern Israel. It has four caves such as Me’arat HaTanur (the Oven Cave; also known as Tabun Cave), Me’arat HaGamal (the Camel Cave), Me’arat HaNahal (the Stream Cave) and Me’arat HaGedi (the Young Goat Cave). The site was proclaimed as universal value by UNESCO in 2012.The site indicates the prehistoric man's settlements and unique evidence of a first burial.

Negev Incense Route

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Incense Route – Desert Cities in the Negev – The Negev incense route located between Jordan'sPetra andGaza, theNabataeans have built many fortresses, caravanserai but especially known for their four important cities ofAvdat,Mamshit,Shivta, andHaluza that located on this important trade route, the Negev Incense Route is a UNESCO World Heritage Site.

Ancient synagogues

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Israel is the birthplace of Judaism and cradle of Jewish history includes many ancient synagogues from the Second Temple Period and Byzantine-Muslim periods from Northern to Southern Israel.Among the more impressive synagogue remains are those fromCapernaum,Magdala,Masada,Anim,Bar'am,Gush Halav,Beit Alpha,Hukok,Nabratein,Ein Gedi,Caesarea, andHamat Tiberias.

Additional synagogues can be found in theIsraeli-occupied territories of theWest Bank, for exampleSusya andHerodium, and theGolan Heights, such asGamla andUmm el Kanatir.

Muslim shrines

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Next to the ancient city of Arsuf stands theSidna Ali Mosque, which is still in use and holds the tomb of Muslim holy man. TheNabi Musa shrine, believed to be the tomb ofMusa (Moses) according to a local Muslim tradition, is located near the West Bank city ofJericho.

Avshalom Stalactites Cave

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Further information:Avshalom Cave

Avshalom Cave, also known as Soreq Cave or Stalactites Cave, is a 5,000 m2 cave on the western side of Mt.Ye'ela, in the Judean hills, in Israel, unique for its dense concentration of stalactitesSome of the stalactites found in the cave are four meters long, and some have been dated as 300,000 years old. Some meet stalagmites to form stone pillars

Mount Karkom

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Further information:Har Karkom

Har Karkom ("Mountain of Saffron" in Hebrew), or Jabal Ideid in Arabic is a mountain in the southwest Negev desert in Israel, halfway between Petra and Kadesh Barnea. On the basis that the Israelites travelled across the Sinai peninsula towards Petra in a fairly straight line, a number of scholars have contemplated the possibility of Har Karkom being the Biblical Mount Sinai. Following this theory, Emmanuel Anati excavated at the mountain, and discovered that it was a major paleolithic cult centre, with the surrounding plateau covered with shrines, altars, stone circles, stone pillars, and over 40,000 rock engravings.

Although, on the basis of his findings, Anati advocates the identification of Har Karkom with Mount Sinai,[1][2] the peak of religious activity at the site may date to 2350–2000 BC, and the mountain appears to have been abandoned perhaps between 1950 and 1000 BC; the exodus is sometimes dated between 1600 and 1200 BC. However, no archaeological evidence has been supported by scholars to maintain a date of 1600–1200 BC. Anati instead places the Exodus, based on other archaeological evidence at around 2300 BC

Ancient Ashkelon

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Further information:Ashkelon National Park

Ancient Beit Guvrin and Maresha

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Further information:Beit Guvrin-Maresha National Park

Beit Guvrin-Maresha National Park is a national park in central Israel, 13 kilometers fromKiryat Gat, encompassing the ruins ofMaresha, one of the important towns ofJudah during the time of theFirst Temple,[27] andBeit Guvrin, an important town in the Roman era, when it was known asEleutheropolis.[28] There are many Muslim saints which are buried in the area, the most known of them is Prophet Muhammad's companionTamim al-DariIn 2014 UNESCO has recognized it as a World Heritage Site.

Crusader castles

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Israel's territory corresponds in part to the Crusaderkingdom of Jerusalem and boasts many castles and city fortifications from that time, although none were left intact by conquerors and the tooth of time. Most of them were built by the Crusaders and some by their Muslim enemies, and the most well-known of them are the cities ofAcre andCaesarea, and the castles ofBelvoir,Montfort,Arsuf,Sepphoris.

Israel also currently has control over the Arab-builtNimrod Castle in the Israeli-occupiedGolan Heights.

Sea of Galilee

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Further information:Sea of Galilee

Sea of Galilee is home to many Christian and Jewish holy shrines, the Jewish holy shrines are inTiberias (click for taking a look of the sites), and the Christian sites are outside Tiberias, some of them are archaeological sites, the sites are –Magdala,Capernaum,Tabgha and theMount of Beatitudes, there are also another archaeological sites such asKursi,Hippos,Hamat Tiberias,Tel Bet Yerah,Khirbat al-Minya andChorazin.

it is also have a collection of fauna and flora.

Mount Arbel and the Horns of Hattin

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Further information:Mount Arbel

Mount Arbel lies near the Sea of Galilee and is a national park with a fortress and synagogue and cliff hiking.The fortress was built by Jewish zealots and then in the Ottoman era byFakhreddine II on the cliffs of the mountains, the ancient synagogue was built in the 5th century and survived little bit after the Islamic period started.The nearby area is the site ofHorns of Hattin famous for his Islamic victory ofSaladin at theBattle of Hattin and nearby this is the shrine of prophet shuaib,Maqam al-Nabi Shu'ayb is the holiest shrine forDruze faith; the Druze are making a bigZiyarat every year in April.

Rosh Hanikra grottoes

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Further information:Rosh HaNikra grottoes

TheRosh HaNikra grottoes are cavernous tunnels formed by sea action on the soft chalk rock. The total length is some 200 metres. They branch off in various directions with some interconnecting segments. In the past, the only access to them was from the sea and experienced divers were the only ones capable of visiting. Today a cable car takes visitors down to see the grottos. A kibbutz, also named Rosh HaNikra, is located nearby. The Israeli city Nahariya is located about 10 km (6 miles) south of Rosh HaNikra.you must take a cable car to get into the grottoes.The Cable car is situated very close to the Lebanese border.

Makhtesh craters of the Negev desert

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Amakhtesh is a geological landform considered unique to theNegev desert of Israel. A makhtesh has steep walls of resistant rock surrounding a deep closed valley which is usually drained by a singlewadi. The valleys have limited vegetation and soil, containing a variety of different colored rocks and diversefauna and flora. The best known and largest makhtesh isMakhtesh Ramon. Other makhteshim areMakhtesh Gadol,Makhtesh Katan andMount Arif.

Ancient city of Sepphoris

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Sepphoris was an ancient Jewish city with synagogue, villas, baths, water tunnels, a Crusader fortress and more. An old Christian tradition places there the house of Saints Anne and Joachim, the parents of theVirgin Mary.

Timna

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Further information:Timna Valley

Hula Valley

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Further information:Hula Lake Park

Hula Lake Park, known in Hebrew as Agamon HaHula, is located in the southern part of the Hula Valley, north of the nature reserve. It was established as part of a JNF rehabilitation project.[29] In the early 1990s part of the valley was flooded again in the wake of heavy rains. It was decided to develop the surrounding area and leave the flooded area intact. The new site has become the second home for thousands of migrating birds in the autumn and spring.[30] The lake covers an area of one square kilometer, interspersed with islands that serve as protected bird nesting sites. It has become a major stopover formigrating birds flying from Europe to Africa and back, and also a majorbirdwatching site. In 2011, Israeli ornithologists confirmed that Lake Hula is the stopover point for tens of thousands of cranes migrating from Finland to Ethiopia every winter. In Israel, farmers set out food for them to keep them from damaging crops near the lake.[31]

Tel Dan: A Biblical Site in the Golan Heights

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Tel Dan is an ancient archaeological site located in the Golan. The site is known for its well-preserved remains of a Canaanite city-state, dating back to the 12th century BCE. It is also a significant biblical site, mentioned in the Hebrew Bible as the northernmost city of the Kingdom of Israel.[32]

Tel Dan was a thriving city-state during the Iron Age, serving as a strategic outpost on the trade routes between Egypt and Mesopotamia. The city was conquered by the Israelites in the 11th century BCE and became part of the Kingdom of Israel.[33]

  • "And Jeroboam the son of Nebat made Israel to sin, and caused them to sin, and made them worship the golden calves which he had set up in Bethel and in Dan.[34]"
  • "And they called the name of the city Dan, after the name of Dan their father, who was born first to Israel.[35]"

Excavations at Tel Dan have uncovered a wealth of archaeological artifacts, including:

  • Stele of Hazael: A monumental stone inscription dating to the 9th century BCE, mentioning the Aramean king Hazael and his victory over the Kingdom of Israel.
  • Temple remains: The remains of a Canaanite temple, dating back to the 12th century BCE, have been found at the site.
  • City walls: The city walls of Tel Dan are well-preserved and provide evidence of the city's strategic importance.
  • Domestic and public buildings: A variety of domestic and public buildings, including houses, workshops, and storage facilities, have been uncovered.

Tel Dan is a fascinating archaeological site that offers insights into the history and culture of the ancient Near East. Visitors to the site can explore the ruins, learn about the city's history, and appreciate the significance of this biblical landmark.

Further information:Dan River (Middle East)

Ein Gedi

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Further information:Ein Gedi

Ein Gedi is a special nature reserve, known for its big number of friendlyNubian ibex androck hyrax, waterfalls, and there are some archaeological finds on the trail.Ein Gedi is an oasis in the desert which is good for relaxing and for those who want to take refuge from the hotJudean Desert, located near the Dead Sea

Keshet Cave

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Main article:Keshet Cave

A bignatural arch in Israel'sUpper Galilee, which was a cave that was destroyed due to geological reasons over the years. Today only the arch remains and is a popular attraction for professional hiking.

Nahal Ayun

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Further information:Nahal Ayun

Ein Avdat

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Further information:Ein Avdat

Bird watching

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Israel is among the world's leading destinations forbirdwatching, withbirders andornithologists heading especially for the annual migrations that funnel through Eilat and the Hula Valley.[36]

National parks and nature reserves

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Main article:National parks and nature reserves of Israel

Israel has 67 national parks and 190 nature reserves. Some of them are located at archaeological sites.Beit Guvrin-Maresha is a large archaeological complex in the Judean Mountains.Sepphoris is an ancient Roman town with elaborate mosaics and a historic synagogue.Ein Gedi, a desert spring, is a starting point for tours toMasada and the Dead Sea.

Hiking trails

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Main article:Hiking in Israel
Tabgha pool,Jesus Trail

Kibbutzim

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A network ofkibbutzim dot the countryside, some offering guesthouses and country lodging. They are undergoing a process of modernization and re-organization. Well known in Israel for great contributions to Israeli history, politics, the army, andZionism. Long-term visitors, both Jewish and non-Jewish, can volunteer on Kibbutzim in exchange for food and lodging.

Museums

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Tower of David Museum
Main article:List of Israeli museums

With over 200 museums, Israel has the highest number of museums per capita in the world, with millions of visitors annually.[37]

Restaurant culture

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Jerusalem mixed grill
Further information:Israeli cuisine

As part of its hospitality industry, including hotels, restaurants and wineries, one of the most vibrant restaurant cultures in the Mediterranean region has developed in Israel since the 1990s, catering to both tourists and citizens.[39] Professional training for Israeli chefs, hotel owners, sommeliers and vintners is of a high standard, and top hotel chefs have international education and experience.[39]

There are thousands of restaurants, casual eateries, cafés and bars in Israel, offering a wide range of choices in food and culinary styles.[40] thecuisine of Jerusalem, for example, reflects a blend ofJewish culinary traditions, includingSephardic,Kurdish,Ashkenazi, as well asPalestinian Arab traditions.[41] In addition to Middle Eastern specialties, there are restaurants offering a wide selection of ethnic food, including Italian, French, Greek, Russian, Ethiopian, Balkan, Thai, Chinese, American andfusion cuisine.[39]

Places to eat out that are typically Israeli includefalafel stands or kiosks, which also offer extras like French fries, fried eggplant, salads and pickles with the falafel, and thehummusia, which specializes inhummus, and offers only a limited selection of extras. TheMisada Mizrahit (literally, "Eastern restaurant") is an inexpensively priced restaurant that serves a basic selection ofmeze salads followed by grilled meat with French fries, friedkibbeh and simple desserts, whileSteakiyot are restaurants which serve a meze of salads, followed by skewered grilled meats, particularlymeorav yerushalmi andkebabs[42] or sometimes bykibbeh stew like kibbeh in okra and tomato stew, beet stew.

Cafés are common in urban areas and function as meeting places both for socializing and conducting business. They commonly serve coffee, tea, fruit juice and soft drinks and almost all serve baked goods and sandwiches; many also serve light meals. Most have outdoor seating to take advantage ofIsrael's temperate weather, andTel Aviv is particularly well known for its café culture.[42] Tea is also served in cafés, from plain brewed Russian-style with sugar, to tea with lemon or milk, and Middle Eastern-style withmint (nana).[43] There is also a strong coffee drinking culture in Israel and coffee is prepared in many ways, such asinstant (nes),iced,latte (hafuḥ), Italian-style espresso, orTurkish coffee.[44][45]

Wineries

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Further information:Israeli wine

Enotourism is a growing part of the tourism sector in Israel. In early 2008, it was announced that a 150-acre (0.61 km2) wine park would be created on the slopes betweenZichron Ya'akov andBinyamina in order to promote tourism in the area and enotourism in Israel in general.[46]

Hot springs

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Hamat Gader hot springs

Israeli-occupied territories

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In March 2021, theCentre for Research on Multinational Corporations published a report that stated: "tour operators across Europe and North America are deceptively offering unsuspecting consumers misleading package tours to Israel and Palestine. These tours are labelled as destined to ‘Israel’ but actually include locations in the occupied Palestinian territory (OPT), and in the occupied Syrian Golan. Many include illegal Israeli settlements, which are the source of a wide range of serious human rights violations suffered by Palestinian communities and the Palestinian people as a whole."[47]

West Bank tourism

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See also:Tourism in the Palestinian territories andIsraeli occupation of the West Bank § Tourism
Cave of the Patriarchs inHebron

West Bank tourism has been controlled by Israel since the territory wasoccupied in 1967.[48] Territory that had been off-limits to Israeli citizens was now made available for tourism, and Israel established numerous amenities in these territories and East Jerusalem to make it more appealing to Israeli and foreign tourists.[49] Despite that, Israeli citizens are generally restricted from traveling to parts of the West Bank under Palestinian Authority control.[50] Today, the Palestinian Authority and Israeli tourism ministries work together on tourism in thePalestinian territories in a Joint Committee on Tourism.[51]

Golan Heights tourism

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Mount Hermonski resort

TheGolan Heights were captured by Israel from Syria in the 1967Six-Day War and are recognized by the international community as Syrian territory held by Israel undermilitary occupation.[56] However, in 2019 the United States recognized Israeli sovereignty of the area. In an act ruled null and void by the United Nations Security Council, Israel applied civilian law to the territory in 1981.[57]

For ease of touring, the Golan can be divided into the north with most of its popular destinations and the south where the administrative capital is located. Travel guides recommend renting a car or joining an organized tour. Although it is slower, some travelers chose to hitchhike throughout the region.[58] Accommodations are typically through bed and breakfasts or cabins calledzimmers.[59]

The first Israeli ski resort was established in the Golan.[60] Nature trails and other attractions were established by Israel in order to further entrench its presence in the territory and to attract tourists.[49] As much of the Golan's land is not arable, many of theIsraeli settlements established focused on tourism as a way of generating income.[61]

Seas and lakes

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Red Sea coral and marine fish in Eilat
Mediterranean coastal strip
  • Sunny beaches and hotel resorts
Dead Sea
  • The lowest point on the Earth's surface and the deepest hypersaline lake in the world, famous for its buoyancy and medicinal qualities
Red Sea
  • Sunny beaches and hotel resorts, popular destination for SCUBA diving and water sports
Sea of Galilee
  • Sunny beaches and hotel resorts
  • Important Christian andJewish holy sites
  • Many archaeological sites.

Dive tourism

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See also:Israeli Diving Federation

Eilat is located in theGulf of Aqaba, one of the most popular diving destinations in the world. The coral reefs along Eilat's coast remain relatively pristine and the area is recognized as one of the prime diving locations in the world.[63] About 250,000 dives are performed annually off Eilat's 11 km coastline, and diving represents 10% of the tourism income of this area.[64] In addition, given the proximity of many of these reefs to the shore, non-divers can encounter the Red Sea's reefs with relative ease.[63] Water conditions for SCUBA divers are good all year round, with water temperatures around 21–25 °C, little or no currents and clear waters with an average of 20–30 meters visibility.

Medical tourism

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Main article:Medical tourism in Israel
Ein Bokek resort on the shore of the Dead Sea

Israel is emerging as a popular destination for medical tourists.[65] In 2006, 15,000 foreign visitors travelled to the country for medical procedures, bringing in $40 million of revenue.[65] The advantages of Israel for health tourism include good natural resources; stable, comfortable climate all year round; a progressive medical systems, and scenic locations which have a calming effect on patients.[66] Medical tourists choose Israel for several reasons. Some come from European nations such as Romania where certain procedures are not available. Others come to Israel, most commonly from the United States, because they can receive quality health care at a fraction of the cost it would be at home, for both surgeries andin-vitro fertilization treatments. Other medical tourists come to Israel to visit theDead Sea, a world-famous therapeutic resort.[65] The Israel Ministry of Tourism and several professional medical services providers have set out to generate awareness of Israel's medical capabilities.[67]

Tourist demographics and economic contribution

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Caesarea

According to the IsraeliMinistry of Tourism, in 2009 54% of the 2.7 million visitors to Israel were Christian.Jewish tourists accounted for 39%. Revenue from tourism in 2009 totalled $3.3 billion.[68] In 2010, tourism constituted 6.4% of the country's GDP.[69] TheWorld Travel and Tourism Council estimates that real GDP growth for tourism in Israel is expected to average 5.0% per annum over the years 2010–2020. The contribution of tourism to Gross Domestic Product is expected by WTTC to rise from 6.4% (US$12.0 billion) in 2010 to 7.2% ($22.1 billion) by 2020.[69] The contribution of the industry to employment is 223,000 jobs in 2010, 7.9% of total employment.[69] Export earnings from international visitors and tourism goods are expected to generate 6.5% of total exports (US$4.8 billion) in 2010.[69] Investment in tourism is estimated at US$2.3 billion or 7.6% of total investment in 2010.[69] The Israel Travel & Tourism economy is ranked number 51 in absolute size worldwide, of the 181 countries estimated by the WTTC.[69]

Tourism abroad by Israelis

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Offsetting the economic contribution by tourists visiting Israel is the larger number of Israelis touring abroad. In 1993, for example, "tourism brought $750 million into the country, but Israeli tourists spent $2 billion abroad."[citation needed] Statistics published a decade later reported "some 2 million Israelis touring the world."[70]

International recognition and awards

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Nahal Arugot waterfall inEin Gedi

In 2005,Ernst & Young conducted a comprehensive research study on Israeli tourism. The report, entitled "A New Market Strategy for Israeli Tourism" was published in November 2006. The researchers felt that increasing the number of international tourists by 2011 from 1.9 million to 4–5 million was a feasible goal. The report stated that Israel's most attractive feature for international markets was its religious culture and history and the great diversity it offers within a very small country.[71] According to the researchers, Israel's different cultures and religions, its diverse landscapes, the contrasts between cities (Jerusalem,Tel Aviv), and combination of European, North African andMiddle Eastern culture produced a "very high density of experience." The report recommended that Israel adopt appropriate marketing strategies to counter any perceived negative imagery associated with political developments.

In 2010, Israel won the title of "most outstanding stand" in all categories at the world's largest tourism fair, ITB, held in Berlin. The Israeli stand won the title of "best presenter" in the Near East and Middle East for the third time in a row.[72]

In 2024, Jerusalem and Tel Aviv were ranked among the top ten cities in the Middle East and Africa by readers of the American tourism magazine "Travel + Leisure".[73]

Most visited sites

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This section needs to beupdated. Please help update this article to reflect recent events or newly available information.(February 2023)

Free

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Syrian brown bears inJerusalem Biblical Zoo

In 2009, the most visited Jewish religious site in Israel were theWestern Wall, and the second-most visited Jewish religious site in Israel was the grave of RabbiShimon bar Yochai atMount Meron.[9]

Paid

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TheShrine of the Báb at theBaháʼí World Centre, inHaifa

The most popular paidtourist attraction is theJerusalem Biblical Zoo.[74] The top paid sites of 2012 were listed by Dun & Bradstreet Israel were as follows"[74]

ListingSite2008 Visitors[10]2012 Visitors[74]
1Jerusalem Biblical Zoo687,647752,000
2Masada721,915724,000
3Zoological Center of Tel Aviv-Ramat Gan581,800713,000
4Caesarea713,648670,000
5Hermon National Park (Banias)430,531561,000
6Ein Gedi Antiquities National Park471,000
7Hamat Gader500,000440,000
8Yamit 2000 inHolon412,533431,000
9Coral World Underwater Observatory inEilat458,000423,000
10Qumran National Park389,291377,000

Foreign visitor arrivals

[edit]

Total number of tourists in Israel in 2018 was 4,113,100. This was an increase of 14% over the previous year.[75][Note 2]

Country2014[76]2015[77]2016[78]2017[79]2018[75]2019[80]
 United States622,100637,200672,100778,600897,1001,007,600
 Russia555,900414,700284,600330,500316,100394,400
 France298,600300,100293,000308,700346,000376,500
 Germany194,200197,800180,100218,200262,500306,400
 United Kingdom180,100197,900197,100198,500217,900259,900
 Italy120,10091,20088,000107,700150,600201,100
 Ukraine132,400138,000164,500146,800137,800181,700
 Poland77,20066,20054,30097,400151,900177,800
 China33,00047,40085,900113,600104,900159,600
 Romania44,70045,10050,90078,900106,900125,900
 Spain47,30043,60046,20062,40077,700109,900
 Canada66,20066,70069,90080,60092,000101,300
 Netherlands51,80049,40051,40064,00083,00094,700
 Brazil51,90043,90035,50054,80062,50086,600
  Switzerland39,90040,60042,90048,70057,10066,100
 India34,90039,30044,80058,00070,70065,600
 South Korea22,60022,60028,30039,60045,20061,200
 Australia33,10031,90032,00039,90043,00053,900
 Mexico20,70022,40020,70028,30038,30053,600
 Austria30,80025,70024,00029,00038,70050,900
 Belgium33,90033,80034,00036,30040,70046,400
Total visitors3,251,0003,108,6003,069,8003,612,0004,113,1004,904,600

See also

[edit]

Notes

[edit]
  1. ^Jerusalem is the capital underIsraeli law. The presidential residence, government offices, supreme court and parliament (Knesset) are located there. ThePalestinian Authority foresees East Jerusalem as the capital of its future state. The United Nations and most countries do not recognize Jerusalem as Israel's capital, taking the position that the final status of Jerusalem is pending future negotiations between Israel and the Palestinian Authority. Most countries maintain their embassies inTel Aviv and its suburbs or suburbs of Jerusalem, such asMevaseret Zion (seeCIA Factbook andthis map of Israel (319 KB)) SeePositions on Jerusalem for more information.
  2. ^2017–18 statistics come from the Israeli Ministry of Tourism, while other years' stats are from the Israel Central Bureau of Statistics, therefore some data may be inconsistent

References

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Bibliography

[edit]

External links

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