Jerusalem:More than a place of pilgrimage

Jerusalem hopes to show Chinese its allure extends beyond its holy sites, Xu Lin reports.

Hong Kong actress Vivian Chow recently posted photos of her travels in Jerusalem.

The 51-year-old's online photos show resplendent views of the ancient city.

She made the visit as a growing number of Chinese, especially independent travelers, are visiting Jerusalem, not only to see its holy sites but also to experience its culture, nightlife and festivals.

UK-based market research company Euromonitor International released a report at the end of 2018, estimating that international arrivals in Jerusalem had grown by 38 percent to 4.8 million compared with 2017, making it one of the world's fastest-growing destinations.

Local authorities are continuing to strengthen partnerships to attract more Chinese.

Jerusalem contains five of the six Israeli sites most popular among Chinese travelers, official data from 2017 show. They are the Western Wall, the Church of the Holy Sepulcher, the Jewish Quarter, the Mount of Olives and Via Dolorosa (the Sorrowful Road).

"Jerusalem's marketing strategy focuses on the approximately 400 million millennials in China," Jerusalem Development Authority tourism director Ilanit Melchior says.

"They are one of the fastest growing markets, as I can see. The young generation of China is curious about the world. (They're) ready to take challenges and more open to different food."

Hainan Airlines' Beijing-to-Tel Aviv route became the first direct flight between the two countries operated by a Chinese airline in 2016. Their direct flights now connect Tel Aviv to Shanghai, Shenzhen and Beijing.

China and Israel signed an agreement to allow reciprocal 10-year multiple-entry visas in 2016. China is the first country to have such an arrangement with Israel.

Israel's tourism bureau recently invited representatives of Sina Weibo and Chinese travel agencies to share their insights about the Chinese market with local tour operators.

"The key is to raise the awareness of Israeli tour operators about the potential of the Chinese market," Melchior says.

"They are used to offering tourists only tour packages-for example, a seven-day trip that combines Israel with Jordan. It's important to change that situation and prolong the overnight stays of Chinese tourists and attract them to do in-depth travel in Jerusalem."

The bureau is sharing with local tour operators information about what the city offers, such as dining options, themed tours and itineraries.

The city hosts activities throughout the year, such as the Israel Festival, a multidisciplinary arts celebration, running from May 30 to June 15 this year.

The Jerusalem Marathon is staged every March. Racers from all over the world join the course that passes through such landmarks as Israel's parliament and Mount Scopus.

Over 300 Chinese joined the more than 40,000 runners this year, Melchior says.

"I'm sure we can have more of them in the future-like 1,000-when more Chinese know about the event," she says.

Over 130,000 Chinese traveled to Jerusalem last year. She hopes the number will reach 1 million within five years.

"To achieve that ambitious goal, we have to do our homework. It's like building a house, and we made our first move by having a Chinese public relations company represent us in China," she says.

"Now, we have to paint the house by sharing what we can offer on China's social media and travel agencies. All those platforms are enabling us to communicate with the Chinese people directly."

Chinese online travel agency Ctrip is one of the tourism bureau's partners.

Hu Wenyu, who's in charge of Ctrip's business in the Middle East and Africa, says Ctrip has upgraded their Jerusalem-tour products to offer unique experiences. Chinese visitors can enjoy dinner with a Jewish family and watch virtual-reality videos about the city's history.

The tourism bureau has also opened official accounts on WeChat and Sina Weibo to share such content as travel tips and itineraries.

Melchior hopes Chinese who visit Jerusalem tell their own stories on social media.

Meanwhile, the city is improving its infrastructure and facilities like free Wi-Fi access.

Some businesses in Jerusalem allow tourists to use the popular Chinese mobile payment platforms WeChat Pay and AliPay. The tourism bureau is encouraging more businesses to follow suit.

They're also working to translate into Chinese such materials as signage in cities and the airport, and brochures and audio guides at attractions.

"When I was in a train station in China, I suddenly understood what it feels like when you don't speak the local language," Melchior says.

"It's like being in others' shoes. Similarly, we shouldn't take it for granted that everyone speaks English."