Bangkok--Sep 30--eTurbo news
(eTurboNews) -- Israeli Minister of Tourism Gideon Ezra and Palestinian Minister of Tourism and Antiquities Mitri Abu Aita signed a historic joint statement in Jerusalem on Wednesday pledging to cooperate to promote tourism to the area. This was the first such meeting between the two ministers in four years.
Abu Eita and Ezra said in a joint statement issued promising joint cooperation in promoting tourism to the Holy Land and effective measures to provide the appropriate atmosphere for private sector in both sides in terms of traffic to assure the best services for tourist and pilgrims to the Holy Land. Both parties undertake to "take effective measures to assure the safe and smooth passage of pilgrims and tourists visiting Israeli and Palestinian areas."
"Believing that tourism is not only a major economic force, and an important tool for [a
] nation's prosperity, but also a means of bringing peace and building bridges of confidence between peoples of the Middle East, the Israeli Ministry of Tourism and the Palestinian Ministry of Tourism and Antiquities. . . announce that both ministries will cooperate in promoting tourism to the Holy Land," the joint statement said.
According ti the Israel Ministry of Tourism, the arrival of the peak Christmas travel period spurred the signing and is yet another positive sign that tourism in the area is well on its way to recovery.
The meeting between the ministers Ezra and Aita is recognized as a "positive initiative has been received with great enthusiasm by the private sector in the tourism field."
At the meeting, the ministers called upon all tourist entities and Christian communities all over the world to start organizing tours to the Holy Land. It also showed much appreciation to the address of His Holiness Pope John Paul II to the General Assembly of the Italian Bishops calling upon them to organize pilgrimages to the Holy Land.
The meeting comes at a perfect time when Palestine's tourism sector is becoming more aggressive in promoting its tourism products. This commitment was recently shown by its participation in this year's World Travel Market in London.
"Tourism is very important to the Palestinian Authority because it could be the basic income for foreign currency to the economy," said Shukri Abu Hamdam at the WTM.
"We could be working with a lot of destinations that would prefer to come to Palestine directly," said Hamdam when asked about the prospect of rebuilding Palestine's airport.
Whether this goal will ever reach fruition, Hamdam said Palestine's tourism sector is "optimistic."
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