From startup nation to tourist nation?
New campaign launched by Israeli tourism industry seeks to turn Israel into a 'tourism power' by investing NIS 200 million in marketing efforts.
The campaign's initiators are asking the government to invest NIS 200 million (about $52 million) in Israel's marketing efforts around the world.
The person behind the new campaign is Israel Hotel Association President Eli Gonen, who tells Ynet that it's not a dream.
"The truth is that we are more of an exit nation than a startup nation," he says. "The startups created a nice income for the state, but failed to provide a good solution in terms of employment, neither in the periphery nor among those who really need a job. This can happen by turning the state into a tourism power, and it's time that everyone realizes that we have a treasure in our hands – the 'tourist nation.'"
Aren't you bit out of touch with reality?
"Tourism is the reflection and the first starting point of Israel's economy. If we surrender and give in to reality, we will lose everything here – not just the present, but also the future. I hope we are not in that situation yet and that we can talk about the future of Israeli tourism.
"Moreover, I am very concerned by what happening here. I see the incidents, but they are still local. Here is where we come into the picture in terms of image. This is what the world sees – the threats. We can have that in front of our eyes all the time, and we have to invest in it."
Still, won't the investment go down the drain on days like these?
"We thought about it, and I have also been told, 'Maybe next week,' but there is never a perfect timing. You can't leave everything for the last moment and for chance, and I not concerned about my country but about my grandchildren's country.
"So I always say that we shouldn’t wait for the right moment, and we should see what can be done today. The resources should be allotted now."
'Without tourism, Israel's vision is over'
Gonen addresses an Ernst & Young report which stated that Israel's image problem is bigger than the real problem, although the report was published before the recent deterioration in the security situation in Israel, and in Jerusalem in particular.
"If we want a good tourism industry, the first thing is marketing," Gonen says. "It's true that the service and the experience are a top priority too, but tourism is marketing and the image must be improved by marketing Israel in the world."
And what will we tell them? That Israel is Europe?
"Everyone is jealous of Western Europe or the United States. Sometimes I even envy Egypt. Despite everything that is happening there, they keep launching campaigns – even now, so there is no reason for it not to happen here too."
You know that some people will say that despite your nice plans, reality has different plans.
"If this vision isn't fulfilled, the vision of the State of Israel is over. We are not there yet, I hope."
In addition to the campaign, a letter has been sent to Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, Tourism Minister Uzi Landau and Finance Minister Yair Lapid, calling for the implementation of the Bar Niv Committee recommendations in order to reduce the costs of vacations in Israel.
As for the security situation in Israel, the letter states that "because Israel suffers from waves of terror, we must invest more than other countries, which invest huge amounts of money in marketing. Precisely in these days of terror, which deteriorates tourism, visionaries can see the huge potential for calm days."
The new and ambitious campaign seeks to bring 6.5 million tourists to Israel a year, double the current number of tourists. It also aims to help increase the number of workplaces in Israel by 310,000 across the country.
