Israel has approved the investment of 27 million shekels ($9 million) in hotel planning in the West Bank, according to a government announcement, in an effort to “realize the enormous tourism potential in Judea and Samaria,” according to Tourism Minister Haim Katz.
The Tourism Ministry noted a “significant investment gap,” with 115 million shekels ($38 million) invested in West Bank tourism infrastructure in the past decade, compared to over 2 billion shekels ($667 million) for the rest of the country.
“For the first time, we will lead a comprehensive process that combines planning, infrastructure development, the creation of a land inventory for hotels and a dedicated track to encourage the construction of hotels,” Katz said, in order to “remove barriers in the area” and “attract tourists and strengthen the local economy.”
According to the ministry, the goal is to “transform Judea and Samaria from a day trip area into a destination for accommodation and stay, extend the duration of tourists’ visits and increase the contribution of tourism to the local economy.”
The move approved today is a complementary step for the development of tourism in Judea and Samaria and is a direct continuation of the government decision led by Minister Haim Katz in May of this year, in which a plan for the development of public tourism infrastructure in the area was approved in the amount of 50 million shekels ($16.6 million).