As winds of war die down, Golan gears up for long-awaited return of tourists

With Hezbollah licking its wounds and Syria no longer a threat, businesses are hoping Israelis will again flock to land of lavender farms, glamping, wineries and artisanal cheese..

Excerpt from The Times of Israel
By Jessica Steinberg

As Israel and Syria flirt with the possibility of ending their long winter of animosity and the forging of a new Middle East, the war-battered hospitality industry in the Golan Heights is looking forward to a vacation season in which the only thing booming will be business.

The summer is usually a hopeful time for tourism in the Golan, but this year is the first time in a long time that many are hoping for a resurgence in visitors, with Hezbollah no longer launching rockets and drones into Israel and goings-on in Syria no longer posing as potent a threat.

Though communities on the plateau were not evacuated, tourism in the Golan was largely shut down following the Hamas terrorist attacks of October 7, 2023, according to Limor Portal, CEO of the Golan tourism company. The few guesthouses that remained open primarily hosted soldiers and other security forces, and some hotels near the Sea of Galilee took in northern evacuees.

The tourism businesses only returned to normal operations in January 2025, said Portal. During Passover, the Golan experienced record traffic, with occupancy reaching approximately 95%.

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