The Tourism Ministry will increase its marketing efforts worldwide over the coming months with an investment of NIS 34 million in order to leverage the positive trend that has been registered in incoming tourism over the last few months, and to position Israel as an attractive tourism destination. The ministry is working toward a target of about 1.5 million tourists over the May-September period, within the three-year program which aims to bring an additional million tourists to Israel by 2012.

The Tourism Ministry is about to launch a three-month advertising campaign in those countries which represent the main sources for incoming tourism – USA, Russia, Germany, France, Italy, UK, Sweden and Holland. The advertisements will promote Israel as a varied and attractive tourism destination – within the framework of the competition with other countries in the region for the tourist’s affection.

As part of the advertising campaign, Israel will promote the many opportunities for sightseeing, entertainment, vacation and leisure that co-exist in Israel to reflect Israel’s positioning as the Holy Land with Jerusalem at its center, which appeals to tourists interested in religion, history and culture.

The advertising, which will concentrate on sites in Jerusalem, Tel Aviv, the Dead Sea and Eilat and additional tourist areas such as the Galil and Negev, is aimed at different target groups including religious audiences, niche tourism such as culinary and wine, wellness, extreme sport and others. The ads will appear in print, billboards, tourism and trade press, the broadcast media and extensive use of the internet and social media.

Above the line advertising will be complemented by marketing activities aimed at the local tourism industry in the source countries, including recruiting new wholesalers and expanding the existing base of those marketing Israel, arranging seminars and working in the field with travel agents and decision-formers such as the clergy and other community leaders, activities with airline companies to investigate possibilities of opening up new routes and expanding existing ones, PR activities etc.

Tourism Minister Stas Misezhnikov: “The recovery of incoming tourism in recent months has been one of the fastest in the Israeli economy and has contributed to the state coffers and to the creation of new jobs. In order to meet the challenges that face the ministry – the target of 3.3 million tourists in 2010 and 4 million in 2012 and the difficult competition with other countries in the region that invest huge amounts in tourism development, infrastructure and marketing – the marketing budget must be significantly increase over the next two years.”

(Tourism Ministry)