The Bethlehem Business Incubator (BBI) and Yunus Social Business Center (YSBC) at Bethlehem University, in partnership with the Palestine Heritage Trail Association, organized a two-day “Community-Based Tourism Hackathon” on Friday and Saturday, 5-6 July 2024. Funded by the Japan Social Development Fund through the World Bank, the hackathon fell under the project “Enhancing Economic Opportunities and Improving Livelihoods for Communities Along the Palestine Heritage Trail.”
The event brought together 55 participants from Bethlehem, Hebron, and Jericho. They presented a diverse range of 31 project ideas to a judging panel of tourism and development experts. Ten particularly impressive concepts received scores exceeding 80%, granting them the chance to be incubated by the BBI and YSBC. Additionally, these winning projects will benefit from financial support of $4,500 each.
Speakers addressed the opportunities and challenges in the community tourism sector from various angles, including academic, training, and practical aspects, in addition to the role of municipalities and youth councils in this promising sector.
Participants underwent intensive training on presenting their projects within a specified time frame to the judging panel. This training resulted in distinguished presentations that demonstrated the participants’ creativity and ability to develop sustainable tourism projects. The training also covered the concept of sustainability from a financial, social, and environmental perspective, and how to generate income and profits from the project.
The hackathon highlighted the dedication of Palestinian youth and the local community to promoting sustainable and community-driven tourism. This approach aims to stimulate economic and social growth throughout the West Bank. The winning projects hold the potential to significantly develop the tourism sector, attracting more visitors to the region and contributing to a stronger local economy built on sustainable practices.
