ABSTRACT

Jerusalem is a city with a singular nature. Home to three religions, it contains spiritual meaning for people the world over; it is at once a tourist destination and a location with a complex political reality. Tourism, therefore, is an integral part of Jerusalem’s development and its political conflicts.

The book traces tourism and pilgrimage to Jerusalem from the late Ottoman era, through the British Mandate, during the period of the divided city, and to the reunification of the city under Israeli rule. Throughout, the city’s evolution is shown to be intertwined with its tourist industry, as tourist sites, accommodations, infrastructure, and services transform the city’s structures and open spaces. At the same time, tourism is wielded by various parties in an effort to gain political recognition, to bolster territorial control, or to garner support. The city’s future and the role tourism can play in it are examined. While the construction of a “security fence” will have many implications on Jerusalem’s tourist industry, steps are proposed to minimize the effects of the security fence and optimize tourism.

Written by leading academics, this title will be valuable reading for students, academics, and researchers in the fields of tourism, religious studies, geography, history, cultural studies, and anthropology.

chapter 1|18 pages

Introduction

Jerusalem of Heaven, Jerusalem on Earth

chapter 2|22 pages

Harbingers of modernization

Pilgrimage and tourism to Jerusalem in the late Ottoman period (1850–1917)

chapter 3|50 pages

When West meets East

Tourism in Jerusalem under British rule (1917–1948)

chapter 4|44 pages

The divided city

The development of tourism in East and West Jerusalem (1948–1967)

chapter 5|35 pages

Tourism in the reunited city (1967–2000)

chapter 6|23 pages

The role of tourism in Jerusalem's future

chapter 7|8 pages

Tourism in Jerusalem

Past, present, and future