Jerusalem voted best city in Africa and Middle East

by Dan Slobodkin

Jerusalem has been voted the best city in Africa and the Middle East by the readers of Travel + Leisure, widely considered America’s leading travel magazine.

Cape Town took second place, with Tel Aviv in third. The last time Jerusalem won was in 2000. This year was the first time Tel Aviv appeared in the top three.

Arie Sommer of the Israel Tourism Commission said the top ranking “underscores the growing realization by sophisticated travelers that our two main cities are unique and extraordinary places to visit.”

Tourism to Israel in 2008 and 2009 broke all records, and early statistics show that 2010 will be the best year ever for tourism to Israel.

Jerusalem Mayor Nir Barkat says he’s not satisfied with the number of tourists who visit the capital each year, and wants to increase the number from 2 million to 10 million annually. “As a high-tech entrepreneur I know how to do it,” he said.

Reaching that goal would “create over 100,000 jobs to help Jerusalem’s economy and send millions of ‘Ambassadors of Peace’ from Jerusalem to the far corners of the earth,” noted Barkat.

Following his election in November 2008, Barkat began to turn the Holy City into a bustling tourist hub. The former businessman raised funds, revamped Sultan’s Pool, brought festivals to the capital, helped local hotels and initiated street parties.

He also promoted an international marathon, which will be held in the city next year for the first time, and launched the “Take Two Days for Jerusalem” campaign, aimed at encouraging Israelis to travel to the capital and stay overnight.

“Jerusalem has a tremendous advantage in the fields of culture and tourism, but this advantage has yet to be exploited,” he told Ynet in a recent interview. “My job is to cause the local market to think big, because the name Jerusalem is a 3,000-year-old brand. When you mention Jerusalem anywhere in the world, people’s eyes light up.”

Tags: Jerusalem, Nir Barkat, tourism, Travel + Leisure