Based this tourism in the past, and to this day, the religious tourism which focused tourism in certain areas, and to a certain quality of visitors coming to visit religious places, and did not go beyond to take on new dimensions in terms of both objectives or in terms of the multiplicity of tourist places or diversify tourists, which if incorporated would have a significant economic impact. Dependence on new types of tourism, such as tourism, environmental and cultural, is still questionable when other, except some timid attempts here and there, and that did not go away, despite what our inventory is rich in natural resources, cultural and social, and that in the event of his involvement within the comprehensive development plans will contribute to raise the level of achievement of economic life at the local level, all the way to the national level, through the benefits that would accrue to the heritage itself through protect and preserve it. Development is universal, says Dr. Ahmed Yehia Rashed, head of the Department of Architecture at the University of Mansoura: "not political propaganda and art, but rather an opportunity must invest, and sustainable business requires a point in time consistent with available resources, financially and practically, to create realistic opportunities for investment." He went by many, including Mr. Valery Patten, a member of the Board of Directors of the International Council on Monuments and Sites, and Dr. Akram Khouri, Director General of the Directorate of Environmental Affairs, Syrian Arab Republic, and others to the importance of linking tourism heritage, and the factor of economic, with emphasis on the need to preserve the heritage as a source of development.
Requires upgrading of the tourism sector to work on the protection and development of heritage elements in various forms of natural and cultural in various locations, particularly in rural areas, which need to support economic development and integration of new sectors such as tourism, which will open the way for new resources. The absorption of rural areas within the development plans of the tourism boom of the movement-based tourism on the environment and culture, which is important to keep them when developing plans for the future, so that it is creating a balance between the requirements of the local population and the needs of the overall development, and the preservation of heritage and the environment, and on the principle of partnership between all parties concerned, and to develop mechanisms that allow coordination with each other, to reach the Millennium Development realism, and to avoid the negative effects of the environment on it.
However, the problem still lies in the look of community and some of the decision-makers, and the lack of awareness of the value of heritage, and the view of the surface of the elements of cultural and natural heritage as part of the supplements and decorations, which lies on the sidelines of integrated development process, and not an integral part of this process. Strategic plans and do not take these issues adequately, and it is dropped a lot of heritage sites of the accounts, which is what causes the damage and degradation. Add to that the lack of specialized studies in this aspect, and the lack of a list of well-defined heritage sites, natural and cultural, and the large overlap between the various institutions Her relationship in dealing with such issues.
Gaining eco-tourism and cultural development in rural areas of particular importance, where there became a great interest in the search for the rural areas of privacy enjoyed by these regions, and to find alternatives and new options at the local level and national level. Because these areas began to constitute a factor of tourist attractions for many considerations, including the fact that rural areas are rich sites of heritage and natural resources, which still maintains the social aspects, customs and traditions, and because rural areas in urgent need of development in various aspects, especially in the field of infrastructure, and because locals who are suffering from poverty and unemployment are looking to raise their standard of living, improve their economic conditions. Because a lot of rural areas in Palestine suffer from lack of structural expansion plans, and the confiscation of land for settlement purposes or for reasons related to the separation barrier, which prevented between population and between access to their agricultural lands. In addition, marketing problems, leading to poor agricultural resources as a key element of rural development, and this has become a vital sector suffers from many problems, led to the reduction of dependence on the size of this important resource. The results of this weakness in the resources that the abandonment of many of the young people of their rural areas for the benefit of the city, or traveling abroad; search of livelihood and search for sources of gain easier.
The question is what are the ways to revive the economy in rural areas? And the possibility that tourism plays a supporting role and an important role in this area? What is the economic impact that Saeksh orientation of this resource? And the extent of its effectiveness? Especially at the local level.
To answer this question, we must identify the target, which is reflected in the promotion of human link to its environment, and their steadfastness on their land, and to live with dignity through the provision of job opportunities for him, and to improve the standard of living of the rural population relying on the natural and cultural resources that are available.
Aims to invest its resources in eco-tourism to be different this resource useful and helpful, and can be used, and take advantage of them Kmrdod economic, as well as the roles of the play at the level of preservation of identity. The promotion of this aspect should not be at the expense of neglecting other aspects, notably agriculture, but also promote the development of walking through parallel in all sectors, including investment cultural resources, environmental and social properly, which Esidmn the necessary capabilities to serve the communities. Consequently, the revenue that will be provided can be used in part in operations to maintain and develop the components of the cultural and natural heritage.
Hence, the focus will be in this study on the eco-tourism as a key element associated with rural areas, being a form of responsible tourism, which respects the environment and local communities, and has the ability to create opportunities for economic development of real value, and the construction of this type of tourism as a viable option and growth.
0.2 ecotourism
Known as eco-tourism, according to the International Society for eco-tourism, which was created in 1990 as "responsible travel to natural areas that leads to the preservation of the environment, and improve the well-being of the local population." A toolkit for sustainable tourism in the Arab world, issued by the League of Arab States, and the United Nations Programme for the Environment and Nature "that eco-tourism is the process of learning, culture and education components of the environment, and so it is a way to define the tourists to the environment and to engage them." It is here characterized the tourist environment as described (Colvin, 1991) with its focus on the enjoyment of watching the ecosystems and their components live in their regions, which requires from tourist to do some kinds of sports such as walking or diving or fishing regulator or mountain climbing, and adapts easily with simple services, which is so accept the challenge, and bear the hardships and difficulties, and spend money to reach the goal. And led this process to enjoy the benefits of historical, cultural and social heritage that characterize the site, and engage with the local population in their daily lives, Mtarafa through roaming on local products, which is characterized by the locals of traditional crafts and cuisine popular customs and traditions, Ze popular folklore and seasons and festivals and housing. Environmental and tourist in all of this is designed to get real personal experience and social development.
From the above we can formulate the definition of eco-tourism as: a framework brings locals and visitors and the environment in a positive and balanced system of guaranteed benefit and protection of rights for all.
To be eco-tourism sustainable, it means attention to tourist sites, and management of all sources, and optimal exploitation of her, and the provision of economic needs, including social and aesthetic and natural, and ensuring the preservation of the environment and sustainability, and the involvement of all stakeholders at the local level and governmental and private institutions, and work in parallel in all sectors , and taking this into account in any future development plan. That is, they include the sustainability of the physical dimension and the economic, social, cultural and environmental.
To learn more about the eco-tourism is not necessary to know the rules of this tourism, which mentioned some of them in the toolkit of sustainable tourism in the Arab world, and in the bulletins of the International Society for eco-tourism, and other references, which is to minimize the negative impacts of tourism on the natural and cultural resources and social development in the tourist areas, and planning of tourism in a sustainable manner, and building and respect for cultural awareness and environmental security among visitors, and to emphasize the importance of responsible investment, and equitable distribution of gains, and improve the conditions of the population economically, cognitive, and raise their skills, and meet their needs, and respect for their culture, and raise the level of awareness they have, and encourage them to play leadership roles, and work to redouble efforts to achieve the highest financial returns of the host country through the use of local resources, and human potential, and to rely on the infrastructure harmonious with the environment, and the preservation of wildlife, cultural, and finally conduct scientific research environmental and social to reduce the negative effects.
And confirms the toolkit for sustainable tourism in the Arab world that eco-tourism has proven economic, where one of the industries fastest growing in the world, and one of the main sectors of international trade, they constitute the industry's key national economy of many countries, such as Costa Rica, Kenya, Madagascar, Sweden and others, held from in order to support a lot of conferences.
Saw this tourism the largest growth since 1980, and talk to the source of the former, where it became provide 8% of the jobs, the rate of about 200 million jobs annually, and will double as estimates until 2010 M.adhafah they increase the national income, and contributes 11% of the total domestic production, and a source of hard currency, making it a goal to achieve development programs, and open new horizons in the international economic relations, and increase the size of the cultural exchange between the countries, and the development of craft industries and traditional. In addition, support infrastructure development projects, transportation, water, communications, and development projects metadata from hotels and restaurants, and others. Orbiter and eco-tourism finds that it has achieved tangible success in many countries, including the Jordanian experience we stated in Dana. It is enough to know that tourism contributes to the revenue of the Hashemite Kingdom of Jordan in 1999 increased by 43% to total revenue from exports, and also experience in the Egyptian oasis of Siwa tourist, and the Lebanese experience in the Shouf Cedar Nature Reserve, and the Mexican experience in the protection of the Mayan tribes.
This success has been achieved in many countries has led many countries to the growing interest in tourism, has called for many states to expand the economic base, to include promising areas such as tourism in the context of sustainable development, with a focus on preserving the environment, and also focus on the social resources and human resources, and including culture and heritage within the development plans, and Mrtkzen considered pivotal and complementary elements of economic and social development.
At the level of Palestine have begun to talk about the importance of integrating this sector in the tourism plans with the end of the last century and the beginning of this century through a number of steps. In 1999, he was direct by the Bethlehem 2000 project eco-tourism project entitled by birth. In 2005, with the participation of the Centre for Cultural Heritage Preservation in Bethlehem and Bethlehem University and the University of London and the University of Aoonso Finnish, has been working on the Tempus program to establish a master's degree in tourism at the University of Bethlehem, which opened the door to a discussion about the challenges faced by tourism in Palestine based on religious tourism for a long time. It also has some individual initiatives, but it did not last for long, not being subject to proper standards in the planning. It was the work of some workshops on eco-tourism with the support of UNESCO, and the post of the Center for Heritage Conservation, and the Institute of Hotel and Tourism Management at the University of Bethlehem, which was to discuss prospects for eco-tourism in Palestine, and in the presence of representatives from the Ministry of Tourism. In addition, work on some pilot projects in this area, such as the Delta project through the Centre for Cultural Heritage Preservation in Bethlehem, and in partnership with the European countries and the Mediterranean, and the project aims to raise awareness of the existence of cultural heritage, regional, and to strengthen regional networks through the promotion of tracks tourism and natural and festivals. The action plan of this project on surveys of natural resources, cultural and social development in the test area, and analyze the data collected.
In the gallery to talk about eco-tourism, it must be emphasized that this type of tourism is not about Balsaúh foreign only, but also includes local tourist, which is what we must focus on within the plans for the marketing of this activity, which makes it more feasible in terms of the economy, and less burdens , and achieve a lot of goals, such as the dissemination of knowledge and culture of tourism among individuals, and deepen the knowledge of the importance of tourism and its positive effects on the overall aspects of life, and focus on the need to preserve natural resources, archaeological and cultural as wealth nationalism, and the definition of citizen milestones of his country, and activating the movement of domestic tourism by providing affordable moderate.
However, the eco-tourism as much as the positives and the benefits, it can not overlook the negative consequences that may arise as a result of planning is proper, which displays the Environment and Heritage to significant risks, especially with regard to environmental pollution, and the use of land is not correct, and the sudden change that occurs on the local community, and this is all due to the increase of irregular numbers of the population, resulting from the influx of more than the number of tourists, and the nature of the services they need, especially in the field of infrastructure, transportation, communications, water and rest facilities, and waste resulting from the new uses, and the income is not regular, and habits acquired which will be reflected on the local population, and the environment, wildlife and flora and fauna, and the movement of birds. Here it must be emphasized that dealing with heritage sites and natural resources, says Dr. Rashid Ahmed Yehia "does not accept the trial and error because the loss may not mean retrieved again."
This underlines the importance of proper planning for eco-tourism sustainable as stated in the Guide for Sustainable Tourism in the Arab world, which needs to be managed properly and conscientious include various aspects ranging from the management of visitors, and through the provision of centers entry for visitors to tourist sites to provide them with information indicative, and the presence of systems and laws to control their numbers, and provide sound management of natural and human resources and protection, and the preparation of awareness programs and environmental education through awareness of the local population and participation, and provide projects for them income-generating activities such as handicrafts and organic farming, and concerted efforts among stakeholders ecotourism.
In addition to the management of visitors, there is the management of resources and the intention here of natural resources and cultural resources and human resources, as well as the management of the adverse effects that may arise as a result of this process, so there will be a process control at all stages to ensure the progress of the plan as required.
And stakeholders in the management of eco-tourism are: the local community on a first-class, and must be involved in the process at all stages, and the community includes people of all classes, and local bodies. In addition, the government agencies of the relevant ministries, such as the Ministry of Tourism and Antiquities and the Ministry of Environment and the Ministry of Agriculture and the Ministry of Culture and the Ministry of Planning, as well as non-state actors interested in the subject of tourism and rural development institutions, associations, clubs and specialized centers, as well as travel agencies, travel managers and tourism training centers, as well as scientific institutes and universities.
3 development of eco-tourism in the rural villages to the west of Bethlehem
Bethlehem is gaining importance, especially among Palestinian cities, as one of the important tourist cities in Palestine, where the heritage of excellence globally, that pilgrimage of thousands every year, and frequented by tourists throughout the year. Thus, tourism is the backbone of the economy of the city, where associated with these important where the birth of Jesus Christ, spread across the tourist hotels, and has been active CRAFT especially drilling on wood (olive) and seashells and copper.
And acquire the site of Bethlehem additional significance to the proximity of the city of Jerusalem, it is located about seven kilometers to the south, and extends the territory of the Bethlehem Governorate of the territory of the western villages beekeepers and Battir and Wadi Fukin and Husan, and adjacent to the Green Line to reach the Dead Sea area east of Ubaydi. And overlooking the city of Jerusalem, which is bordered to the north, Hebron and hugging at the end of the lands of Beit Fajar south, and can be seen from the Mediterranean to the mountains of the western villages, and live in the wild desert land in the eastern province, all the way to the Dead Sea.
The city has a mild climate, a rise seven hundred meters above sea level, and is changing the climate and terrain in the province change the site if we head east or west, earning it the status of diversity required of the tourist zones of Western mountainous green, and a high incidence of springs, while the eastern areas areas desert sand, and relate to the Jordan Valley area.
The Ministry of Tourism and Antiquities finally nominated a number of landmarks in the province, to be recorded within the World Heritage List, including: Church of the Nativity and the old town of Bethlehem, and the wild desert, which is located in the eastern region, and olive trees and vineyards, which reflected the best of forms in the western region of the province , which joins the vineyards with olive trees.
Despite this diversity, however, tourism in Bethlehem until the moment relies on religious tourism through pilgrims coming to the Church of the Nativity and other monasteries scattered in the province, has not been investment of natural resources and the nature of the topography of the beautiful, both in the eastern and western regions. Despite the fact that Bethlehem is rich in sites of the many, but the nearby villages constitute a tributary of the mission of the diversity of the desired tourist are replete with sites, cultural heritage and the natural, social, and can not be considered to Bethlehem individually without linking them with the surrounding environment, which is characterized by eastward Beratha desert, and west are inherently green.
And This study addresses the area of rural western and known Baerqhob, which consists in the present of four villages are: beekeepers and Husan and Wadi Fukin and Battir, and will be studied as a model for rural areas of Palestinian suitable for development as areas of tourism, it contains a lot of natural resources, historical and cultural interest, and historically as Dabbagh said in our country, Palestine, is one of the areas that has seen much activity in the period intermediate Romania, Byzantine, and Islamic, wherein a lot of desolate archaeological periods Romanian, Byzantine, Islamic and reality shows, it abound where archaeological sites associated with the industry, olives and grapes, and demonstrate a lot of these sites
