Israel Tourism Ministry Approves 90 Million NIS To Place Jerusalem First

From the long, sandy beaches of Tel Aviv to the ancient walls of Jerusalem,
Israel's new PR campaign featuring attractive, young faces is bearing fruit.

By Israel News Agency Staff

Jerusalem ----- April 8....... Much of the following was communicated by the Israel Ministry of Tourism and the Israel Government Press Office to the Israel News Agency.

The Israel Ministry of Tourism's Investments Committee, made up from representatives of the Israel Tourism and Finance Ministries and headed by Israel Tourism Ministry's Director General Shaul Tzemach, have approved assistance to the sum of 18 million shekels for 11 tourism projects in Jerusalem and the periphery. The total investment in these Israel tourism projects stands at 90 million shekel. The committee's decisions, which were forwarded for approval to the Israel Investment Centre Administration of the Ministry of Industry, Trade and Labor, are expected to be discussed and approved within the next few weeks.

The Israel tourism committee approved financial assistance for building new hotel rooms, adding new hotel rooms to existing hotels and upgrading existing hotel rooms in the following projects in Jerusalem: Prima Hotel, the King Solomon Hotel and the Small House in Baka boutique hotel; Mount Canaan Hotel in Safed, the Guest House in Kibbutz Kfar Blum in the northern Galilee, the Guest House in Kibbutz Lavi, Hagoshrim Hotel in Kibbutz Hagoshrim, Kfar Giladi Hotel in Kibbutz Kfar Giladi, Galei Yam Hotel in Ashdod, and the Vered Hagalil Hotel in the Upper Galilee.

 

"We are working so that some 5 million tourists and business travelers will visit Israel by 2010 and we must be prepared to offer an attractive tourism answer to these visitors, be it at the level of infrastructure or quality," said Director General of the Israel Ministry of Tourism Shaul Tzemach. "There will be significant competition from Turkey, Egypt, Cyprus and other countries in the region over the next few years and the Ministry of Tourism will invest a central part of its budget in assisting entrepreneurs. Together with this, in order to answer the anticipated demand, there is a demand for broader investments."

"Hotel rooms are a critical manufacturing element in the tourism industry and a shortage of rooms can slow down industry growth," said Tzemach. "The Israel Ministry of Tourism will continue to work to provide an answer for the shortage of hotel rooms in sought-after tourism and commercial areas."

The present Israel tourism marketing, advertising and PR campaign being waged by the Israel Ministry of Tourism and the Israel Ministry for Foreign Affairs deserves compliments for being modern, creative and professional. Professional being that some of the most powerful and creative ad agencies in Israel and the US have worked on this campaign for close to a year. Utilizing tons of market research and dozens of scientific focus groups, the Israel Ministry of Tourism was made aware of what works and what does not.

A year ago, Israel consular officials, Israel advertising associations and both Israel and New York advertising ad and PR organizations came up with a novel idea for changing Israel's war-torn, terrorism hit state's public image. Targeting American guys with disposable income to visit Israel.

"We have to find the right hook," Israel consulate spokesman in New York David Saranga told Newsweek. "And what's relevant to men under 35? Good-looking women!"
(David, please be aware that good-looking women are also relevant to men over 35!)

"We found that Israel's image among men aged 18-38 is lacking," explained David Saranga, Israel consul for media and public affairs at the consulate, "so we thought we'd approach them with an image they'd find appealing."

"When you see beautiful women, good-looking people, on the beaches of Tel Aviv, you understand that Israel has to deal with the conflict, it's true, and there are religious elements in its society, but there are also other things," Saranga told the UK's Globe and Mail. "I want people to know that Israel is much more than a conflict, that people in Israel have normal lives."

The beautiful models in Israel, Saranga said, were a "Trojan horse" to present Israel as a modern country with nice beaches and pretty women. "Many Americans don't even know we have beaches," he said.

The unconventional public-relations offensive was the brainchild of David Saranga. He came up with the idea while staring at poll numbers that showed Israel was not particularly well regarded in the United States, especially among those aged 18 to 35. The Jewish state was perceived as too religious and too militaristic for the tastes of most.

The new, positive and professional public relations approach appears to have effectively generated thousands of new tourists and much needed capital, trade and business investment to Israel. As such, the need to improve tourism infrastructure in Jerusalem, the long, tranquil beaches of Tel Aviv, the desert, magical sands of Israel's ancient camel spice trails of the south and the lush green mountains and hills of Hafia, Tiberius, Mt. Hermon, Golan Heights and the north was a natural and healthy consequence.