Recreational sites in north recover during Sukkot. Sites in center and in south not lacking either. Even more people are expected in coming week

By Ahiya Raved

Akko Theatre Festival. One of many festivals in north during holiday Photo: Ariel Basur

Hiker enjoying the outdoors Photo: Flash 90

Recent holidays have recovered tourism to the Galilee and the Golan. Hundreds of thousands of people toured the nature reserves and recreational parks in the north, yet those in the local tourist industry estimate Saturday that the main wave of vacationers has yet to come.

Occupancy in upper Galilee hotels and guest houses stood at 90 percent during the weekend. Even Tiberias, which saw a relatively low occupancy rate of only 65 percent this past weekend, is expecting numbers to swell to 85 percent in the coming week.

Israel Nature and Parks Authority reported that the nature reserves and national parks will be open to all vacationers free of charge in a joint campaign between the Parks Authority and the Jewish Agency.

Kinneret beaches saw lively action throughout the weekend. Tiberias police estimate that close to 150,000 people relaxed along the various Kinneret beaches. About 20,000 of these people stayed on Dugit Beach, where the Bereshit Festival was being held.

More to the north, about 6,000 vacationers visited the Hula Valley throughout the holiday. About 1,000 of them visited the Hula Valley nature reserve. Other vacationers visited the Golan Heights and water sites. Kfar Blum-Beit Hillel Kayaks reported some 2,000 visitors, as did Mount Bental in the Golan.

Starting Monday, kayaking sites will increase the number of guides and operators in expectation of growing demand. Owner of Kfar Blum-Beit Hillel Kayaks, Guy Yermak, said that those in the tourist industry are happy to see the tourism revival during Sukkot and the growing demand throughout the coming week.