Fed Cup tennis games return to Eilat
Israel is first country to host European-African zone group for two years in a row
The Fed Cup Women's Tennis Games will be held at Red Sea Tennis Center in Eilat, which was built especially for the games. Israel, which hosted the games in 2011, is the first country to host the European-African zone group for two years in a row.
Countries expected to participate in the 2012 games include Austria, Bosnia-Herzegovina, Britain, Holland, Romania, Sweden, and others.
In 2011, over 90 countries participated in the games – a sporting event which received significant coverage and media interest all over the world.
The Ministry of Tourism, which assists in planning cultural events and international sport competitions in Eilat, will invest about NIS 4 million ($1 million) in 2012 in various events which will take place in the city.
Other sports events that have taken place recently in Eilat include the European Open Water Swimming Championship, the Triathlon, Iron Man, the Desert Challenge races and the Eilat Formula races.
In addition to supporting various cultural and sports events, and with the aim of improving the tourism product and enhancing Eilat's advantages over the regional competition, the Ministry of Tourism will invest about NIS 33 million ($8 million) in 2012 in infrastructure development and marketing the resort all over the world.
NIS 8 million ($2 million) from this total will be invested in the five-year development program designed to develop, upgrade, rehabilitate and maintain the tourism infrastructure in the city.
The remaining NIS 25 million ($6 million) will be allotted to marketing Eilat as a sports, tourism, and vacation resort, based on the new branding of the city "Eilat+".
According to Tourism Minister Stas Misezhnikov, "The city of Eilat, whose economic revenue is largely based on tourism, must continue to develop the tourism industry, by building hotels, new attractions and businesses, holding events that will attract tourists and building the physical and personnel infrastructures that will assist Eilat compete in the tourism arena.
"The Ministry of Tourism is obligated to the city of Eilat and its citizens and will continue collaboration with various officials in order to strengthen the positioning of Eilat as a leading attractive tourist resort in Israel."
