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Tourism in Israel is one of the country's major sources of income. Israels offer a plethora of historical and religious sites, beach resorts, archaeological tourism, heritage tourism and ecotourism. Israel has the highest number of museums per capita in the world. The most popular paid site is Masada. The largest groups of tourists visit from the United States, Russia, France, the United Kingdom and Germany. Over 2.7 million foreign tourists visited Israel in 2009.

Historical, religious and cultural sites

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Jerusalem

• The capital and largest city of Israel, it also attracts the most foreign tourists. The holiest city in Judaism, the ancient capital of the United Monarchy and then of the Kingdom of Judah. The site of the Temples in Jerusalem. See Western Wall.
• City of David, including Hezekiah's Tunnel
• Yad Vashem holocaust memorial museum
• The Mount of Olives which includes gethsemane, church of all nations, Russian orthodox church, Mt. of Olives lookout point, Dominus Flevit, the pillar of absalom and a 2000 year old Jewish cemetery.
• The four quarters of the Old City: Jewish Quarter, Christian Quarter, Armenian Quarter, Muslim Quarter
• The site of some of Jesus's teaching and entombment; Christians believe he was crucified on a nearby hill, Golgotha.
• The Islamic structures on the Temple Mount (known in Arabic as the haram ash-sharīf, the Noble Sanctuary) the Dome of the Rock and Al-Aqsa Mosque
• List of places in Jerusalem

Tel Aviv

• Israel's second-largest city, and a cosmopolitan, cultural and financial global city. The city's greater area is the largest with 3 million inhabitants. Tel Aviv exhibits a Unesco world heritage area of Bauhaus architecture. Nearby historical city of Jaffa is experiencing a touristic boom.

Safed

• A holy city in Judaism, where much of the Jerusalem Talmud was written and kabbalah (Jewish mysticism) was developed. Famous for its artisans. The grave of Rabbi Shimon bar Yochai in nearby Meron.

Acre

• (Bahá'í) Shrine of Bahá'u'lláh, resting place of Bahá'u'lláh as well as a Unesco world heritage historical town.

Haifa

• Carmel
• (Bahá'í) Shrine of the Báb, its associated terraces, and the Bahá'í World Centre and the buildings (a Unesco world heritage).

Tiberias

• A holy city in Judaism, on west bank of the freshwater Sea of Gallilee.
• Saint Peter's house at Capernaum, Tabgha and the Mount of Beatitudes.

Nazareth

• Jesus's hometown and the site of many of his reported acts and miracles.
• Starting point for the Jesus Trail, a network of hiking routes connecting many sites from Jesus's life and ministry.

Bet She'an

• A Roman Decapolis city. One of the largest archaeological sites in the Middle East.

West Bank

Captured by Israel from Jordan in 1967 after being attacked by the latter. Recognized by some in the international community as Palestinian territory held by Israel in a state of military occupation but by others as disputed territory the final status of which to be negotiated between the respective parties.

The tourist industry in the West Bank has been administered by Israel since its capture in 1967. Israel regulates the movement of tourists to the West Bank and their Palestinian guides, but Israeli tour operators mostly control how and where tourists dollars are spent. Most travelers to sites in the area stay in Jerusalem's hotels. Tour operations have been negatively impacted by travel warnings from the governments of European nations and the United States. The Lonely Planet travel guide recommends that travelers to be aware of any changing events, but that it is well worth going once past the checkpoints.

• Bethlehem - Burial place of the matriarch Rachel and birthplace of King David and of Jesus.
• Shepherd's Field - Just outside of Beit Sahour, the field is said to be were Jesus's birth was announced to a group of shepherds.
• Herodium - A fortress built by Herod the Great that is administered by the Israel Nature and Parks Authority.
• Solomon's Pools - A prominent site in the al-Khader area.
• Manger Square - A city square in the center of Bethlehem that takes its name from the manger where Jesus was born.
• Church of the Nativity - A church built over the cave that tradition marks as the birthplace of Jesus of Nazareth that is a popular attraction sacred to both Christians and Muslims.
• Salesian Cremisan Monastery — A winery as well as a convent in the suburb of Beit Jala.
• Hebron - The second-holiest city in Judaism and the place where the Tomb of the Patriarchs and Matriarchs is located. According to Jewish tradition, this is the burial place of the great patriarchs (Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob) and matriarchs (Sarah, Rebecca, and Leah). The capital of the Kingdom of Israel before David moved it to Jerusalem.

Golan Heights

Captured from Syria in 1967. Under Israel's 1981 Golan Heights Law, it is subject to Israeli law and administration.

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. The infrastructure is less developed than that in Israel proper and does not particularly cater independent tourists. Travel guides recommend renting a car in or joining an organized tour. Although it is slower, some travelers chose to hitchhike throughout the region. Accommodations if not staying in Israel proper are typically through bed and breakfasts or cabins called zimmers.

• The Golan has national parks which provide extensive hiking options. Most of these are maintained by the Israel Nature and Parks Authority. Land mines from previous wars pose a risk when clearly marked and fenced off areas are disregarded.
• The Mount Hermon ski resort is popular during the winter months.
• The area produces wine and theGolan Heights Winery is a large producer. The winery has a visitor's center and tours.
• Archaeology in Katzrin, Gamla, Nimrod Fortress, Rujm el-Hiri

Masada

• Masada became famous for its significance in the First Jewish-Roman War (Great Jewish Revolt), when a siege of the fortress by troops of the Roman Empire led to a mass suicide of the site's Jewish defenders when defeat became imminent.

Beersheba

• Its settlement attributed to the patriarch Abraham. Regional capital of the Negev desert. It serves as a starting point for exploring such sites as the Ramon Crater or the Unesco world heritage Nabathean Incense Route (Shivta, Avdat, Mamshit).

Eilat

• The southernmost city in Israel, on the Red Sea coast, it is a hot, sunny year-round travel destination. Popular destination for skin and SCUBA diving, with equipment for hire on or near all major beaches.

Kibbutzim

• A network of once socialist communes which dot the countryside. They are undergoing a process of modernization and re-organization. Well known in Israel for great contributions to Israeli history, politics, army, and Zionism.

Caesarea

• The old city includes Roman and Crusader ruins, such as the amphitheatre (where concerts are frequently held), as well as the harbor from which St. Paul was taken as a prisoner to Rome.
• The grassy golf club and villas are newly developed in this coastal city, which has become increasing popular to tourists.

Ein Gedi

• Desert spring. It is a starting point for tours in Masada as well as the Dead Sea.

Tzippori

• A Roman town exhibiting elaborate mosaics and a historic Synagogue.

Beit Guvrin-Maresha

• A large archaeological complex in the Judean Mountains.

Biblical Tells

• There several Iron Age mounds spread throughout the country. Three of them Tel Be'er Sheva, Tel Hazor and Tel Megiddo (the site of Armageddon) were recognized as Unesco world heritage sites . They exhibit elaborate water systems that are among the earliest in the world.

Seas and lakes

Mediterranean coastal strip

• Sunny beaches and hotel resorts

The 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

Sea of Galilee

• Sunny beaches and hotel resorts
• Important Christian holy sites such as Mount of Beatitudes

Economic impact

Tourism is a leading industry in Israel. In 2008, it constituted 4.7% of the country's GDP.

The Ernst & Young Report

In 2005, Ernst & Young conducted the deepest research that was ever made on the Israeli tourism. The Ministry of Tourism of Israel ordered the research in order to make a revolution in this market. The official subject was "A New Market Strategy for Israeli Tourism" and the result was publicized in November 2006.

The report noted that in 2005, Israel received a total of 1.9 million international visitors and opined that a realistic target is to double the number of international tourists until 2011, to 4–5 million visitors.

It stated that "the absolutely most attractive feature Israel has for the international markets is its "religious culture and history"" as well as "the great diversity/variety within a very small country". The variety it referred is about the different cultures and religions, the very different landscapes from Mount Hermon (located on the Golan Heights to the Negev desert), different cities (Jerusalem, Tel Aviv), the mix of European and Arabic world, etc. The report pointed out thet "All this leads to a very high density of experience." The report recommends that Israel adopt appropriate marketing strategies to counter any perceived negative imagery associated with political developments.

Most visited sites

The two most visited sites in Israel are the Western Wall and the grave of Rabbi Shimon bar Yochai.The top paid sites of 2008 were listed by Dun & Bradstreet Israel as opposed to the above sites which offer free entry. Another popular free site not listed in the survey is the Bahai Gardens in Haifa.

The top paid sites of 2005 were listed by Dun & Bradstreet Israel.

Gallery

• Jaffa Gate
• The Arab market in the Old City of Jerusalem
• Dead Sea at dusk
• Sinkholes at Mineral Beach
• Dead Sea from Masada

See also

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• List of museums in Israel
• Medical tourism in Israel

References

1. Interesting Facts about Israel
2. ^ "Masada tourists' favorite spot in Israel". Ynetnews. Retrieved 2009-04-08.
3. Tourism statistics
4. "Israel Welcomed 2.7 Million Tourists in 2009". Travel Pulse. Retrieved 2010-04-01.
5. Le More, Anne (2008). International assistance to the Palestinians after Oslo: political guilt, wasted money. Routledge studies on the Arab-Israeli conflict. Vol. 1. Routledge. ISBN 9780415453851. Israel has de facto been occupying the West Bank, Gaza Strip and East Jerusalem since the 1967 Arab-Israeli war, but has consistently rejected the de jure applicability of the Fourth Geneva Convention to the oPt. There is, however, an international consensus that international humanitarian law (IHL) applies. The position of all other High Contracting Parties to the Fourth Geneva Convention, the UN (through its various bodies, in particular the General Assembly, Security Council, the Economic and Social Council and the Commision Human Rights) and the International Committee of the Red Cross (ICRC) is that the Geneva Conventions are applicable de jure to the oPt, including East Jerusalem.
6. "Where the prior holder of territory had seized that territory unlawfully, the state which subsequently takes that territory in the lawful exercise of self-defense has, against that prior holder, better title." Stephen Schwebel, "What Weight to Conquest," American Journal of International Law, 64 (1970):345-347
7. Meir Rosenne, "Legal Interpretations of UNSC242," in UN Security Council Resolution 242: The Building Block of Peacemaking, op. cit., p. 31
8. Contextualizing Resolution 242
9. Resolution 242 (land for peace) and British security interests: Setting the record straight
10. ^ Kaufman, David; Katz, Marisa S. (April 16, 2006). "In the West Bank, Politics and Tourism Remain Bound Together Inextricably". The New York Times. Retrieved July 4, 2010.
11. ^ Thomas, Amelia; Kohn, Michael; Raphael, Miriam; Raz, Dan Savery (2010). Israel and the Palestinian Territories. Lonely Planet. ISBN 978-1741044560.{{cite book}}: CS1 maint: multiple names: authors list (link)
12. Golan Heights Law, MFA.
13. Jacobs Daniel; Eber, Shirley; Silvani, Francesca (1998). Israel and the Palestinian territories: The Rough Guide. Rough Guide. ISBN 978-1858282480.{{cite book}}: CS1 maint: multiple names: authors list (link)
14. ^ Kohn, Michael (2007). Israel and the Palestinian Territories. Lonely Planet. ISBN 978-1864502770.
15. ^ Fodor's Israel. Random House, Inc. 2009. ISBN 978-1400008988.
16. "20,000 Tourism Workers May Lose Jobs". Ynetnews. December 24, 2008. Retrieved 2008-12-25.
17. http://www.tourism.gov.il/NR/rdonlyres/DA41633B-99F1-483B-AEC0-674C861DC94F/2815/IntlMarketsandGrowthPotential.ppt#23
18. "For first time, religious sites to get state budget of NIS 6.3M". HaAretz. Retrieved 2009-03-08.
19. Tal, Dalia (2006-03-08). "Biblical Zoo in Jerusalem – Most popular tourist site in 2005". Globes. p. 12.{{cite news}}: CS1 maint: date and year (link) CS1 maint: postscript (link)

External links

• Ministry of Tourism Template:En icon
• Discover Jerusalem
• Go Israel(Ministry of Tourism)
• Template:Wikitravel

• Tourism in Israel