PikiWiki_Israel_38451_Nature_and_Colors.jfif

Discover trails and explore the story of Israel right here!

Restart North Community Project

A Rehabilitation Plan for the Post-War Era
Transforming the Kinneret and the Golan into a World-Class Tourism Destination

Action Plan

We have established a community of hundreds of participants to realize this vision. The common denominator among community members is their dedication to developing tourism in the north. This community includes municipalities, local councils, the Kinneret Regional Cluster, and the Galilee-Golan Cluster. Within this larger community, we have created three specialized sub-communities focused on specific areas:

Manara: Revitalizing and developing the downhill cycling trail to become the best in the Middle East, with added attractions and challenges
The Golan Heights: Creating a fertile environment and a paradise for cycling
The Kinneret Region: Transforming it into an internationally attractive destination

In each activity area—cycling, for example—we have recruited some of the country's top experts who will collaborate to bring this ambitious vision to life.

Vision
We have set ourselves a goal:

Together with local authorities and regional councils, we aim to turn the Galilee, the Kinneret, and the Golan into a paradise for tourism once the war is over. This vision is built around cycling tourism, water sports, the area's natural beauty, wineries, and more.

The vision is to unite all stakeholders involved in the north's tourism development, integrating private and public entities into a single unified strategic plan for the government and local authorities. The sectors operating in this initiative will generate a new funding source, leveraging the region's favorable climate to elevate northern Israel into a global tourism powerhouse.

Tourism Data

Over the past 50 years, there has been a consistent global growth in tourism demand, with an annual growth rate of 3-4%. Tourism is transitioning from being perceived as a leisure product to a genuine necessity.

Cycling tourism is a rapidly growing global trend, with a market projected to reach $234.3 billion by 2030, growing at a CAGR of 9.1% between 2023 and 2030. This sector includes experiential cycling tours and sporting activities, attracting tourists through the unique combination of sport, environmental interaction, and cultural experiences.

Tourism demand in northern Israel is also steadily increasing, with approximately 3 million tourists visiting the Kinneret area annually (excluding day visitors and beach campers, which together bring the total to around 5 million tourists per year). Demand for tourism in the Finger of the Galilee and Manara is also consistently growing, attracting over 1.5 million tourists annually. These tourists come for summer attractions like kayaking and hiking in northern streams and winter activities such as skiing on Mount Hermon. In the past decade alone, dozens of hotels have been built in the north, including the “Travel” hotel chain, which has established six hotels in the Upper Galilee out of its nine nationwide.

Established a large community of Golan and Kinneret residents and leading professionals from across Israel.

Created a plan with three anchor points: The Kinneret, Manara, The Golan Heights

Engaged local authorities and regional councils, including the Authority for the Development of the Negev and Galilee, to ensure comprehensive support

Established an advisory council with Israeli leaders in sports, infrastructure, innovation, government, and more.

Began creating a “Dream Map,” preparing incremental changes to enhance both domestic and international tourism through new attractions

Conducted a national survey with over 350 respondents to understand the consumption habits of cyclists, both individuals and families

Partnered with Kinneret College to involve students in the initiative

Progressed to the mapping and listing phase while scheduling meetings with the JNF, authorities, the upcoming northern administrative body, business leaders, and national institutions in Israel and abroad