Jerusalem is a beautiful city, full of historical sights and beautiful views. Although the pandemic has made travel difficult, the tourism industry is still alive and waiting for the world’s return. Fleur Hassan-Nahoum, Jerusalem’s Deputy Mayor and the Tourism portfolio holder, doesn’t have a dull moment, despite these crazy times.
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From Being an Immigrant to Jerusalem’s Tourism
Fleur was not born in Israel. She immigrated to the country from Gibraltar, and when she arrived in Israel she didn’t speak any Hebrew. Fleur felt like she’d always wanted to contribute to society, and as an immigrant, she wanted to contribute to her new country; “the country I had chosen to live in.” While a lawyer by profession, Fleur had the opportunity to join a local political party and went for it. Thus her political career began.
While she originally ran with a candidate that was not elected as mayor, when the second round of voting came, she supported the candidate who became Jerusalem’s mayor. “When that was over, he asked me, ‘what do you want to do,’ and I said I wanted to be the Foreign Minister of Jerusalem.”
Fleur’s role in the municipality focuses on international relations, economic development, and tourism.
Being an immigrant, Fleur understands the mindset of tourists who are coming from outside of Israel, “because I was one of them.” Knowing English and Spanish fluently helps her with her role as well, because it allows her to communicate with the world. In terms of making connections with people from other countries, Fleur believes that it’s good to be an immigrant because that way you understand the other person’s mentality. Therefore, being an immigrant is has been an advantage.
A Woman in Politics
Being a woman in any business is a challenge of its own, and the political world is certainly no exception. “The main challenge of a woman in politics is that people underestimate you.” Low expectations of what a woman can bring to the table are something she finds to be problematic, but there are also advantages that come with this: “It gives you the power of surprise. They never see you coming.” Fleur explains that once you get into your role, your value is clear, but before that happens, women are undervalued.
However, Fleur believes it’s very important for there to be women in policy-making positions. When there is more diversity, “society is better, and decisions are better.”
Fleur has advice to women who are thinking of going into politics: “If you are passionate about something, a cause you believe in or a challenge you want to solve, step up to the plate.” She believes women are good at bridge-building, and that we need more women in leadership positions. “No one’s going to send you an invitation, you just have to do it.”
The Pandemic
When the pandemic hit, it was extremely difficult for the municipality; “It was catastrophic.” Before the pandemic, Jerusalem had reached a peak of five million tourists a year. In contrast, in 2021 there were only 200,000. Many of Jerusalem’s businesses cater to tourists, and that is why Jerusalem was hit the hardest in the whole country. The municipality has been advocating for a clear policy for tourists’ return.
However, this challenge has not stopped them. “I decided we had to put together a local tourism campaign,” and she was put in charge of the campaign to bring Israelis to Jerusalem. While many enjoy traveling to Israel, Israelis also enjoy being tourists, and in normal times four million Israelis leave the country to vacation every year. Since the pandemic halted their travel plans as well, Jerusalem had a new market to cater to. They put together attractions, festivals, and restaurants, and did package deals at hotels to attract Israeli tourists. “It was a successful campaign.”
A City with International Appeal
With five million visitors entering the country in a normal year, the ancient city of Jerusalem clearly has international appeal, and this includes Japanese tourists. When asked what in Jerusalem would a Japanese tourist want to see, she answered that the Old City is probably the most interesting, and is a view of history. “I think the Japanese people love the Old City.” The Old City has lots of attractions within it, including museums and the City of David. There is definitely a lot to see.
Working in Jerusalem’s Municipality
Fleur’s role is bigger than tourism, and she is currently doing lots of fascinating things. She tries to bring more employment to the marginalized groups in the city, mainly the Ultra-Orthodox Jews and the Arabs in East Jerusalem. She pushes forward infrastructural development and tries to close the gender gaps between men and women in the city’s tech market. The other part of her role is managing big projects, for example, she is pushing to build a museum that tells the narrative of Jews from the Middle East and North Africa. She is also the co-founder of the UAE-Israel Business Council, reaching for sustainable peace between the two countries after the Abraham Accords. This involves her in many events with the Foreign Ministry.
Regarding plans for the future, the municipality hopes for the fast return of tourists to Jerusalem. “2022 has to be the year of renewal and rebuilding.”
