1st IIPT European Conference Leeuwarden, 21-24 October 2008 Tourism4Peace Forum Challenges and Opportunities Janos Damon Executive Director, Israel Hotel Managers Association Secretary General, Tourism4Peace Forum
The Beginning T4P was born in 2004, a joint initiative of the Israel Hotel Managers Association and the Peres Center for Peace. The first Annual Conference was held in January 2005, the first regional conference in 5 years, called: "Regional Tourism in the Middle East - a New Era". It took place in Tel Aviv and over 30 Egyptian, Jordanian, Palestinian and Israeli top tourism professionals took part in the conference. There was an excellent atmosphere and many useful topics in the tourism industry was discussed and several new ideas proposed.
Resolutions of the 1st Regional Conference 1. Tourism promotes peace and peace promotes tourism. Tourism contributes to economic growth, employment and the quality of life. 2. Freedom of movement for tourists and professionals from the tourism industry, between cities, countries and throughout the region, is a necessary condition for success. 3. The forum will establish a working group that will deal with issues of security, freedom of movement and travel visas 4. The forum will organize joint marketing activities to promote tourism to the region and between countries within the region based on equal opportunities. 5. The forum will cooperate within the field of human resources and professional training to raise the skill of hoteliers and travel agents 6. Name of the new organization: Tourism4Peace Forum (T4P)
Israeli-Palestinian Tourism Forum - IPTF Now, let's go back a bit: Previous cooperation with Palestinians. Bethlehem University, mutual visits, educational tours Cooperation with Egypt: Cairo, Taba/Eilat Conferences In 2004, Israel Hotel Managers Association and for Peace, set up the Israel-Palestinian Tourism Forum (IPTF). Activities: joint marketing, joint professional training seminars, trying to improve border and checkpoint transfers, educational trips In 2005, IPTF became part of T4P Forum
Recent meetings Since 2005, T4P met 4 times, twice in Israel, once in Jordan, once in Leeuwarden, Holland Stenden (at that time CHN) University liked us it seems and Klaas-Wybo set up the Tourism for Peace Chair with Omar being its first Director Next meeting Vacationfair Utrecht, January 09 Our Website administered by Sandy Dhuyvetter: www.tourism4peace.org or www.tourism4peace.com
Challenges and Opportunities Tourism as a Marketing Tool to Promote Peace There are many reasons tourists visit the Middle East. These are the Holy Lands and the birthplace of the 3 main religions. The Church of the Nativity in Bethlehem, the Holy Sepulcher, the Dome of the Rock and the Western Wall in Jerusalem can only be found there. (1) Among the many reasons they visit: Cultural tourism history the Pyramids -recreation: sea and sun medical tourism business and conferences tourism. Globalization. Most of the tourists to the area come from Western Europe and North America. New markets include Eastern Europe, Russia, Far East with its large Muslim and Christian pollution and Latin America.
Marketing Tool to Promote Peace (2) The situation today Israel Profile of Israel s Tourism Industry Visitor Arrivals to Israel (in millions) Profile of Israel s Tourism Industry Revenue from Incoming Tourism Including Aviation (in billions of $) 2.2 2.5 2.7 1.2 0.9 1.1 1.5 1.9 1.8 2.3 2.8 98 99 2000 2001 2002 2003 2004 2005 2006 2007 20 for In US $ 5
Palestine In 2000 844 thousand tourists to Bethlehem In 2002 went down to 8 thousand in 2007 climbed to 510 thousand We hope this year will reach 950 thousand So far this year there is a 30% increase Tourist arrivals in Bethlehem 1000 800 600 400 200 0 844 60 8 46 103 160 295 510 950 2000 2001 2002 2003 2004 2005 2006 2007 2008
Jordan Number of tourists increased by two third from 2002 to 2008, from 4.6 million to 8.5 million forecast this year. During that time the income from tourism more than doubled from 740 million to about 1,900 million this year. In 2007 the growth of income was 24%, this year, it expected to be over 20%. There is a lot of hotel construction going on in Jordan, most of them beautiful hotels, especially in Petra, Aqaba and the Dead Sea
Tourist movements in Jordan 10 8 6 4 2 0 Income from tourists in hotels in million $ 4.68 4.6 5.6 5.82 6.6 6.6 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 2002 2003 2004 2005 2006 2007 2008 8.5 2.5 2 1.5 1 0.5 0 Number of visitors in millions 1.9 1.64 1.461 0.943 1.022 0.743 0.752 2002 2003 2004 2005 2006 2007 2008
Egypt A tourism superpower! 10.5 million tourists in 2007, 10% increase this year billion $ income in 2006, - over 10% increase 300-600 thousand Israeli tourists a year, mainly in the Sinai Much new hotel construction
Challenges and Opportunities Tourism as a Marketing Tool to Promote Peace(3) The Israeli-Palestinian conflict is well known around the world We want to change the image: The fact that the Middle East conflict will be connected to tourism will create interest. The cooperation between Arabs and Jews and any Israeli - Palestinian act not connected to violence will spark further interest Our mission is to help transform the conflict from an obstacle to a positive marketing tool The potential to develop international tourism in the area is great and we feel, we shall contribute to peace
Opportunities Joint Marketing efforts. We plan launching a road show, calling jointly on travel agents, tour operators, clergy. The message: Visit the entire area, see the exciting sights, meet the locals Produce joint brochures called the Holy Lands, promoting cities and areas, such as Jerusalem, Bethlehem, Cairo, the Pyramids, Petra, Amman, etc., - not countries. The famous sights know no borders Produce a joint brochure on the Red Sea Riviera : Taba, Egypt; Eilat, Israel; Aqaba, Jordan are within 3 miles of each other and Sharm el Sheikh is quite near.
Opportunities Organize educational trips for travel agents, tour operators, church dignitaries, decision makers Professional Training, joint workshops, seminars for hotel and travel agency staff, internship in Europe (if work permit problems can be solved) to improve the quality of service. Infrastructure and conditions for tourism, including making border crossings simpler and faster. Our Website to include up to date information on border crossings Need funds to promote/market T4P, although the Peres Center is very helpful