ETW Staff – Mumbai
Israel is gaining popularity among Indian travellers, as 2016 has witnessed increasing numbers of Indian tourists visiting Israel, marking a growth of five per cent from January to June 2016. Israel attracted over three million global visitors last year. The Israel Ministry of Tourism Office in India organised a five-city road show in the first week of August to introduce Israeli tour operators, who are new to the India market, to the Indian travel trade, with an objective of encouraging face – to – face interactions and promoting Israel as a preferred destination. The road show was held across Indian cities of Mumbai, Kolkata, New Delhi, Bengaluru and Chennai.
The event received a footfall over 800 delegates from various companies. This was the first time the Ministry of Tourism Road Show had six Israeli tour operators and El Al Airlines participate in a road show in India.
When asked about promotional strategy in India, Hassan Madah, director – India, Israel Ministry of Tourism, said “Israel has been gaining popularity in India from 2015 and we are happy to see Indians travelling to Israel in big numbers, which can be seen with the increase of five per cent from January to June 2016. Israel has something for everyone from adventure, Dead Sea, deserts and mountains, culture, fashion, nightlife. We work towards adapting strategies to further promote various travel offerings to Israel in India.”
Judah Samuel, director of marketing, stated, “The time is right for Israel. We confidently mentioned that Israel is tiny, but the safest in that part of the Middle East. From ease of visa to a niche tourism experience, Israel is a must see destination. It is highly experiential in nature.”
In order to provide more information to the traveller, the Israel Ministry of Tourism has launched a new website (www.goisrael.com/in) with information about Israel as a destination, and its various tourism offerings. The website also connects visitors with travel agents and tour operators that offer different types of tours to Israel.