Jerusalem is the throbbing heart of Israel's tourism industry but the spiritual centre for two of the world's major monotheistic religions is bleeding badly as a result of Israel's Gaza offensive.

2014 had looked set to be a record year for Israel's tourism sector but the 50 day conflict with Hamas militants in Gaza has cost Israel's economy hundreds of millions of dollars.

Jewish men pray at the Western Wall, Judaism's holiest prayer site, in Jerusalem's Old City September 17, 2014
Jewish men pray at the Western Wall, Judaism's holiest prayer site, in Jerusalem's Old City September 17, 2014 Reuters

Religious tourism is usually more robust than cultural or leisure tourism when Israel goes to war and afterwards.

Yet, despite the cagey ceasefire that Israel's government reached with Hamas, Jerusalem has not managed to attract back those lost visitors.

So, IBTimes UK went to the Old City of Jerusalem, famed for its hawkers and traders, to meet the business men that rely on tourism revenues to survive.

For more on this, check out IBTimes TV or the video at the top of the page.

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