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On July 10, Israel welcomed its one millionth tourist in 2022.
Tourism Minister Yoel Razvozov gave a special welcome to the visitors during a ceremony at Ben Gurion International Airport. The reason for the celebration is clear; Israel hit the 1 million mark just four months after lifting strict coronavirus restrictions on foreign entry that have reduced tourism to a near trickle for most of 2021 , hoping to quickly return to the pre-pandemic rate of more than 4 million a year.
But there is another important factor in this arrival. The millionth visitor is UAE resident Belinda Desoyo Lee Marcelo, a country that had no official tourist traffic with Israel until the Abraham Accords were signed less than two years ago.
At the time of signing the agreement, both countries, along with other signatories Bahrain and (later) Morocco, saw tourism as a key factor in establishing economic ties, perhaps the fastest growing sector.
Tourism and related businesses account for about 7 percent of Israel’s GDP, almost double that of the UAE. The opportunity for a boom in “peaceful tourism” between Israel and the Gulf offers the tantalizing prospect of dramatically increasing these numbers.
traffic growth
Of course, as far as Israelis are concerned, the lure of the UAE, and Dubai in particular, is immediate and impactful.
Despite coronavirus concerns and restrictions, thousands of Israelis have traveled to the UAE over the past two years, with normal traffic expected to average 50,000 tourists per month between Ben Gurion Airport and Dubai and Abu Abu every week now Dozens of direct flights available to Dhabi, via airlines such as El Al, Etihad, Emirates, Israir and Wizz Air.
The mutual visa-free travel agreement implemented last October — the first signed between Israel and an Arab country — helped simplify the process. In February last year, Israel and the UAE signed an agreement to promote cooperation in the tourism industry, including marketing cooperation, expanding mutual investment in tourism education and vocational training, promoting tourism information exchange between the public and private sectors, and hosting tourism professionals. Joint regional activities.
The impact of the Abraham Accords has also benefited Gulf tourism outside the Israeli market. The new friendly relationship between Israel and the UAE helps expand the UAE’s appeal to international Jewish tourists, who may have previously been discouraged by the lack of ties between the countries and the lack of facilities for Jewish tourists of religious affiliation in the Gulf.
Dubai moved quickly to accommodate the latter, expanding the number of kosher restaurants to nearly ten and officially authorizing three synagogues as places of worship for the local Jewish community and tourists.
Tour operators now offer “Jewish Heritage” trips to the Gulf, as well as nonprofits such as America’s “Abraham Vision”, who see such trips as a vehicle for building a relationship of coexistence between Jews, Muslims and Christians.
Israel’s tourism industry has also benefited from the country’s new relationship with the Gulf region. The precedent set by the Abraham Accords was one factor that encouraged Saudi Arabia to finally authorize the opening of its airspace to all airlines, including Israel, in July. The move allows EL AL to shorten not only flight times between Tel Aviv and the Gulf, but many of its main Asian routes to popular destinations such as India and Thailand.
Another benefit the UAE offers to Israeli tourism is its use as a marketing platform, in a region where opportunities are limited elsewhere due to political reasons. The Israeli government moved quickly after signing the Abraham Accords to upgrade investment in the country’s pavilion at Expo 2020 Dubai, transforming it into an impressive showcase of its various attractions for millions of potential Visitors who will come into contact with them offer it for the first time.
challenges
The part that is still missing from this picture is that Emirati tourists visit Israel anywhere near tourists heading in the opposite direction. Israeli tourism officials say they are aiming to attract 100,000 visitors from the UAE each year, but so far that number appears to be more aspirational, even as international tourism recovers.
The Muslim holy sites in Jerusalem’s Old City, including the Al-Aqsa Mosque and the Dome of the Rock, should be major attractions for tourists in the Gulf; but again, Israel must find a way to coordinate with the local Palestinian authorities to develop an effective procedure that will allow Muslim pilgrims to Access these religious and politically sensitive sites with minimal disruption and maximum security.
Finally, Israel must develop an effective marketing campaign for Emirati tourists that emphasizes the appeal of a destination that combines rich historical attractions with the dynamism of a young, innovative country, including areas such as Jaffa and Haifa, which have some The most advanced Arab community. anywhere in the area.
The leaders of Israel, the UAE, Bahrain and Morocco have made the first major leaps needed to bridge the gap between nations; but cementing these nascent bonds will require deep human-to-human relationships between their respective populations The contact, mutually beneficial tourism trade may be the best way to achieve this.
Calev Ben-David is the anchor of the i24NEWS evening news show The Rundown
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