Middle East Isn't it amazing that only a few days after the Hebron agreements were signed, that an advertisement for the region appeared, sponsored by the Palestinian Authority, Jordan and Israel. It appears that the parties to the peace process want to reap the benefits of the peace process as quickly as possible in order to recover from the slump in tourism dollars which occurred during the violence since 1995.
Tourism is the single most important source of income to the region besides oil.
Tourism is the major source of income for Israel and apparently the Palestinians believe that tourism is going to be their primary source of income as well. Tourism dollars will certainly help cement the peace process as the money filters throughout the region, improving the economies of the region and people have more disposable income to spend. It would enhance the lives of many people in the region especially the Palestinians, who are trying to create an economy separate from Israel's. There is a downside to the promotion of tourism and the reliance upon tourists for economic well being, especially in the Middle East. Tourist dollars means there will be an interaction between Westerners and members of the Middle East.