Public involvement and tourism planning in a historic city: the case of the Old City of Jerusalem

Abstract

One of the most widely discussed parameters in the field of tourism management and development concerns the issue of the cooperation and involvement of the public in decision-making processes. In regions characterized by various types of conflicts, questions regarding tourism management and development and the role of the local populations in these processes are political and ethical issues of the highest degree for the society and culture of that location. The aim of this article is to present the tremendous political sensitivity regarding the status of the Old City of Jerusalem, since there is no consensus on its political status which is one of the major stumbling blocks to finding a solution to the Israeli–Palestinian conflict. The purpose of this article is not to propose a solution to the political conflict of which Jerusalem is part, but rather to argue for the central place that should be devoted to tourism in a future solution, and within that, to emphasize the involvement and cooperation of the public in the processes of tourism management and development and how in the case of Jerusalem it should be implemented in East Jerusalem and particularly in the Old City.

Keywords:

• public involvement
• historical cities
• peace
• Jerusalem

Notes

The author of this article served as an independent academic advisor to the Program for the development of tourism in the Old City of Jerusalem and was responsible for writing the chapters on tourism in the plans for the rejuvenation and preservation of the Old City of Jerusalem presented below. I wish to thank Prof. Mike Turner, the former Chairman of the Israel World Heritage Committee of UNESCO and head of the planning team for the program, for his beneficial comments on the writing of the article. Everything stated in the article, however, is solely my responsibility.

During 20 sample days in 2009 including weekdays, Sabbaths, and festivals of the three religions, six field researchers surveyed the Old City and counted the number of visitors at various sites. They identified points of congestion by analyzing the major traffic arteries used by visitors in the Old City. The sample counted a total of 12,764 visitors, spread out in time and space in the area surveyed. Special emphasis was given to the Church of the Holy Sepulcher to which six additional days were given during which visitors were counted both at the entrance to the church and in the chapel.

Ibid.

During February and March 2009, interviews were conducted with 15 tourist site managers (for pay) in the area of the Old City. The interviews included questions related to the general background of the site, the visitors who came to the site, the content, the marketing and publicity, signs and accessibility, problems and future plans. During 2010, a survey was posted on the internet site of ‘the Association of Israeli Tour Guides’ with the purpose getting answers to questions from the vantage point of tour guides about tourist conditions in the Old City of Jerusalem. Ninety-two questionnaires were completed. The questions asked, among others, were about which sites they selected, the preferred days, the routes usually taken within the Old City and the immediate surrounding area, and their willingness to visit sites during off hours.

Additional information

Kobi Cohen-Hattab is a senior lecturer at the Department of Land of Israel Studies and Archaeology, Bar Ilan University, Ramat-Gan, Israel. His thesis from the Hebrew University examined the development of tourism infrastructure in Jerusalem during the British rule (1917–1948). He conducted his post-doctoral research at the department of geography, York University, Toronto (2001–2002). His main research interests are historical-geography of tourism, tourism in historical towns and the development of seaside resorts.