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Wake Up Palestine – The Impact of the Pandemic on Tourism in Palestine

Jerusalem24 – The losses of the tourism sector to Palestine during the past year were estimated at approximately 1.021 billion US dollars, after a 68% decrease in its spending compared to 2019, due to the “Corona” virus.

The Central Bureau of Statistics and the Ministry of Tourism and Antiquities stated, in a joint press release, on the occasion of World Tourism Day, which falls on September 27, that the performance of the tourism sector in Palestine continues to decline due to the Covid-19 pandemic, especially in the Bethlehem Governorate, which annually receives more than 60 % of the total number of hotel guests and visitors coming to the West Bank.

The statement pointed out that the number of hotel guests during the first half of 2021 in the West Bank amounted to 765,58, and no hotel guest accommodation was registered in Bethlehem during this period, making it the most affected nationwide.

Between the Statistics Bureau and  the Tourism Ministry, in their statement, that there was an improvement in the number of workers in the tourism sector during the second quarter of 2021, as the number in activities related to the tourism sector reached 42,400 workers during the second quarter of 2021, with a rate of 4% of the total workers are from Palestine, where the number of workers in tourism activities increased by 18% compared to the same period in the year 2020, while compared to the year 2019, the number of workers in the tourism sector is still low by 2%.

They explained that the Corona pandemic had a tremendous social and economic impact, and both developed and developing economies were affected, and the marginalized and the most vulnerable were the most affected of all, and the resumption of tourism would help start recovery and growth.

In this episode of Wake Up Palestine, Mohammad Hamayel speaks with Majed Abu Ishaq, Marketing manager at the Palestinian Ministry of Tourism. Together, they discuss the losses of the Tourism sector in Palestine and what can be done to save it.

Mohammad Hamayel

Ramallah based journalist, Mohammad graduated from Al-Quds University with a B.A. in Media and Television. He has covered the 2015 Jerusalem Intifada as well as the Great March of Return for international media outlets. currently an editor/presenter at Jerusalem24. A UN alumni and a follower of global events and politics, especially American affairs.

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