Al-Hayek from Berk Soliman launches World Tourism Day activities under the slogan “How beautiful is our country”

Bethlehem - Ofoq News - Today, the Minister of Tourism and Antiquities, Mr. Hani Al-Hayek, launched the activities of World Tourism Day under the slogan “How beautiful is our country,” during an event held at the archaeological site of Solomon’s Pools in the village of Artas in the Bethlehem Governorate, in the presence of the Governor of Bethlehem, Mr. Muhammad Taha, the Mayor of Artas, Mr. Jamil Raba’ia, the President of the Chamber of Commerce and Industry of the Bethlehem Governorate, Dr. Samir Hazboun, the Deputy Mayor of Bethlehem, Mr. Jaris Qara’a, and the Secretary-General. Caritas Jerusalem, Mr. Antoun Asfar, representatives of private Palestinian tourism sector associations, and a large number of official, national and local figures, in addition to a group of journalists and influencers.

The activities of World Tourism Day, which last for two days, include organizing tourist tours and visits for our Palestinian people to a number of Palestinian cities and governorates in the West Bank, with the aim of introducing tourist, archaeological, historical and religious sites, and enhancing communication and interdependence among the members of the one Palestinian people.

Hayek stressed the importance of strengthening the bond between the Palestinian people in the West Bank and the Palestinians of the interior, despite the measures imposed by the occupation with the aim of separating the people of one people, stressing the Ministry’s insistence on continuing and intensifying visits and tourist tours for our Palestinian people from the interior to various Palestinian governorates, in a way that contributes to strengthening communication and introducing our national history and cultural heritage and the importance of Palestinian archaeological and tourist sites, in addition to the importance of marketing Palestinian cities and operating facilities. Tourism, which contributes to the operation and development of economic and tourism facilities, especially hotels

Al-Hayek pointed out that intensifying visits to archaeological and tourist sites contributes to enhancing their presence, protecting and preserving them, in addition to stimulating tourism movement and supporting local communities, pointing out the importance of choosing the archaeological site of Solomon’s Pools to launch World Tourism Day activities, because of the historical and cultural value the site represents, and to draw attention to the dangers it is exposed to as a result of occupation and settlement policies.

For his part, the Governor of Bethlehem, Mr. Muhammad Taha, extended an invitation to our internal Palestinians to visit the Bethlehem Governorate and learn about its abundant tourist, archaeological, historical and religious sites, stressing the importance of these visits in stimulating the tourism movement and supporting the tourism sector in the governorate, in light of the great challenges facing the sector as a result of the cessation of tourism movement.

Over two days, the activities include tours of a number of tourist, archaeological, historical and religious sites in the Bethlehem Governorate, in addition to visiting a group of archaeological, historical and tourist sites in the Hebron Governorate, with the participation of a number of journalists and influencers, to introduce the tourism and heritage elements that the two governorates abound with, with the aim of promoting domestic tourism, supporting the tourism sector, and introducing Palestinian archaeological and tourist sites.