Sustainable Local Economy and Tourism

Sustainable local economy is an essential part of restoring a healthy and resilient stream environment.
Economic activity can either harm restoration processes or support them. As part of the broader project efforts, special focus is placed on working with local entrepreneurs and residents to develop infrastructure for sustainable, environmentally conscious economic activity. Within this framework, the project supports farmers with the goal of strengthening environmentally friendly agriculture that benefits both the environment and the local communities.

In addition, as part of the project’s social and community processes, we emphasize identifying local talents and collaborating with them. Training programs are held to promote community-led initiatives that create local demand for such activity and enable economic benefit for entrepreneurs. Annual festivals held in the stream area showcase the social, environmental, and touristic initiatives of basin residents and offer them greater exposure.

Another important area promoted by the Zippori Stream Restoration Project is tourism and tourism-focused entrepreneurship.
The Zippori Basin is home to many local businesses, including artisans and artists, wineries, wellness practitioners, olive presses, culinary ventures, and more. As part of the integrated vision of stream restoration, the project aims to strengthen and promote sustainable tourism that respects natural, scenic, and cultural values, while offering diverse leisure experiences for both visitors and residents. Our focus is on community-based, locally rooted tourism that preserves the unique traditions of the basin’s various communities.

Local economic development is fostered through the creation of local forums for tourism professionals in the basin. These are managed by dedicated coordinators who also collaborate in a professional central basin-wide forum, forming a community of communities.

These forums enable peer learning, knowledge sharing, cooperation, and the creation of a shared narrative for basin-based tourism. Professional trainings are also offered to tourism professionals on various topics, and they are actively involved in community events throughout the basin.
Altogether, these activities strengthen the bond between community, stream, and tourism. All entrepreneurs and tourism professionals participating in any part of the restoration project commit to operating in harmony with the environment and protecting the stream.

What are the main goals in this area?

Create both demand and supply for environmental and social economic initiatives.
Empower existing initiatives and integrate local professionals into various processes as part of the restoration project.
Strengthen a sustainable local economy by promoting tours, events, and exposure opportunities that support local businesses.
Strengthen local identity by developing tourism that expresses and enhances a sense of place, pride, and community identity, while offering authentic tourism products and preserving the stream’s ecology.
Build a “community of tourism communities” – tourism in the Zippori Stream Basin operates as a collaborative network that provides professional and marketing support for tourism professionals and entrepreneurs, in partnership with many stakeholders in the region.
Minimize planning and regulatory barriers to enable the development of local tourism.

Product from a cheesemaking course. Credit: Guy Malal

What are we actually doing? A few examples…

● Training programs for residents to promote social, environmental, and economic activities, such as nature guides, fitness instructors in the stream area, and facilitators of traditional crafts workshops.
● Professional training for tourism entrepreneurs in various fields to encourage local tourism products. Courses have included cheesemaking, sourdough bread baking, spoken Arabic, vineyard and wine fundamentals, marketing, and entrepreneurship.
● We established local tourism forums throughout the stream basin that meet regularly, alongside a central basin-wide forum that brings together coordinators from the local groups and connects tourism professionals from across the basin.
● Leadership training programs to promote environmental entrepreneurship, such as a food truck that shares local stories and cuisine, art workshops bringing together Jewish and Arab women in the stream area, and environmental education sessions for diverse audiences.
● As part of expanding economic opportunities for women in the basin, we offered a course on biodynamic beekeeping and hive product making, in collaboration with the Bees for Peace initiative.
● We lead basin-wide events such as the Zippori Spring Festival and the Traditional Crafts Festival. These events are part of our community engagement efforts and take place in partnership with many local organizations, residents, and entrepreneurs.

Did you know

Credit: Guy Malal
Credit: Guy Malal
Credit: Guy Malal
Credit: Guy Malal
Credit: Guy Malal