Domestic tourism thrives in Gaza
Local travel companies, in cooperation with the Ministry of Tourism, are organizing trips for Gazans to discover the many hidden archaeological sites spread across the besieged enclave.
GAZA CITY, Gaza Strip — Local tourism companies in the Gaza Strip are focusing on domestic tourism in light of obstacles hindering foreign tourism. The almost continuous closure of the Rafah border crossing with Egypt has made movement more difficult, while religious tourism has nearly ground to a halt because of the coronavirus pandemic.
The pandemic has also prevented Palestinians from performing religious pilgrimage in Saudi Arabia since February 2020.
To keep this vital sector alive, the Palestinian Ministry of Tourism in Gaza is working to encourage domestic tourism. It focused in particular on archaeological sites that are widely spread in the Gaza Strip. It launched a campaign to encourage citizens to take part in domestic tours and raise awareness of the national archaeological treasures.
Local tourism in Gaza is one of the key economic sectors that drew the concerned authorities’ attention. The sector has potential to employ a significant portion of Palestinian manpower and curb the soaring unemployment rate.
