COVID-19 AND THE IMPACT ON CULTURAL TOURISM: THE CASE OF BEIT SHE’AN VALLEY, ISRAEL

Under the COVID-19 (SARS-CoV-2) pandemic in Israel, almost every taken-for-granted feature of the day-to-day life was affected. This phenomenon and its derived socioeconomic effects on cultural tourism have been investigated in a northern peripheral area, Beit She’an Valley, which includes a small urban municipality, Beit She’an town, and a regional council, Emek HaMaayanot (a rural municipality). The closure of heritage sites and almost every kind of public cultural venue has led to economic consequences such as absence of tourists, worker layoffs in the cultural tourism industry, and a wave of collapse of businesses. In order to understand the implications of the pandemic on the area, surveys were conducted among two local groups: business owners and residents. The findings show that 9 out of 10 businesses have been affected, yet few have received governmental support. A large number of business owners think that under the current circumstances, their business can be sustained only for several months. Residents reported that during the pandemic, they avoided public spaces and gatherings, visiting cultural sites much less often than before the pandemic. It is clear that both groups have to readjust their perception of tourist spaces and their activities. The changes that took place in tourism activities following the pandemic have led the owners of local businesses related to cultural tourism, as well as tour guides, to think of different ways to operate their activities. Interviews with a group of business owners suggest that new initiatives and survival strategies may have far-reaching implications for cultural tourism in the region and its characteristics. The findings of this research yield several recommendations regarding how to deal with similar crises in the future so that tourism activities at heritage sites will not be harmed.