Tourism in Jerusalem
Jerusalem - a Magnet for Tourists and Pilgrims
The tourism industry in Jerusalem is one of the main pillars of economic activity in the city, whose historical and religious importance make it a magnet for tourists and pilgrims the world over. In their work, the Institute’s researchers examine the tourism industry in all its aspects within the city.
Jerusalem in general, and the Old City in particular, are a major attraction for tourists visiting Israel, and the tourist sites in the Old City and its vicinity, including the Western Wall, the Church of the Holy Sepulchre, the Mount of Olives, and the Via Dolorosa, are visited by millions each year. Beginning in 2012, the Institute has been tracking the actions taken by the Ministry of Jerusalem and Heritage and the Jerusalem Development Authority in the framework of the five-year Marom Plan (2012-2016) and the Jubilee Plan (2017-2021) to help expand and develop the tourism industry in Jerusalem and make it more efficient through the use of data, in-depth research, evaluation studies, surveys, and comparisons to other tourist cities in the world.
Numerous topics have been studied throughout these years, including overcrowding at the city’s tourist sites and ways to alleviate it, examining the potential of new target audiences, tourism in the Jerusalem metropolis, the effect of security events on the city’s tourism, the increase in renting apartments to tourists, and more.