Boom for tourism in Gaza

Tourism in Gaza Gaza - Mohammad Habib  Dr. Mohammad Khella, Undersecretary of the Ministry of Tourism and Antiquities in Gaza, emphasised that the tourism and antiquities sectors in the Gaza Strip have witnessed a tangible boom and increase in demand over the past two years. He said that his Ministry had paid great attention to the archaeological sector to draw attention to the heritage of the Palestinian people and to prove their eligibility in their territory at the time where the occupation is trying to blur and falsify everything related to the Palestinian history. In his interview with Arabstoday, Khella called for the need to work on lifting the siege on the tourism movement, which was imposed by the occupation several years ago, in Palestine and in the Gaza Strip in particular. Khella emphasised that the Gaza Strip is one of the most important tourism areas in the world, in terms of geographical location, moderate climate, archaeological sites and other factors bestowing it with all the ingredients to make it an incredibly attractive destination. Not only that, but he added that the Ministry had approved a strategic plan that includes rehabilitation of all archaeological sites and converting them into public attractions to highlight the historical and cultural identity of the Palestinian people. Moreover, he stressed that the Ministry has been restoring a large number of archaeological sites that were previously considered to be neglected and they’ve made a concerted effort to preserve all the discoveries and relics that they find. In a land full of incredible history, he waxed lyrical about all various options for tourists seeking to discover more about the region's past, mentioning, to name just a few, Saint Hilarion Monastery, dating back to 329 AD; Khan Yunus, known as Plum Castle; and the Great Omari Mosque. Most excitingly of all, he pointed to the recent archaeological discovery of a new mosaic floor in "Beit Lahiya", the most important of its kind in the region. Regarding the tourism sector, Khella explained that the Ministry has had to meet all sorts of internal and external challenges, such as lack of money, shortage of tools and, most significantly, UNESCO’s rejection to cooperate. In spite of this, they have managed to kick start domestic tourism in the Gaza Strip, creating a uniquely efficient tourism sector in order to aid economic development in this field. He pointed out that since the Ministry started work, it proceeded to communicate directly with the owners of touristic facilities to identify the most important problems and obstacles they face and help them to overcome them.  He also noted that emergency aid had been distributed to the owners of these facilities; estimated at $150,000. When faced with the everyday hardships and suffering, Khella stressed the importance of the tourism sector in Palestine, which brought in more than $70 million across 2010 and 2011, and has so many people relying on it for their livelihood.   He finished by expressing his belief that this development wouldn't have happened without the Palestinians' willingness and resistance first. Moreover, he said, it wouldn’t have happened without the safety and security which the Government has been able to provide, the facilities that the Ministry of Tourism offered, and its continuous support to the owners of touristic institutions.