Field Visit to Magdala

As part of the course Managing International Religious Heritage Tourism led by Dr. Hila Zaban, students participated in a field visit to the Magdala site – a unique archaeological location featuring the remains of a first-century synagogue. The site, situated near the town of Migdal, is managed by the Catholic Church.
During the visit, students heard from Father Kelly, one of the priests overseeing the site, who spoke about its significance to Christian communities around the world and the daily challenges of managing diverse pilgrimage tourism. The group then met with Mr. Maroun Edward-Issa, General Manager of the hotel operating on-site, who shared insights into the managerial challenges and opportunities involved in running a hospitality facility within a religious heritage complex.
The visit offered students valuable hands-on exposure to the realities of managing religious heritage sites that serve a broad range of audiences – bridging academic theory with practical experience on the ground.