Ministry of Tourism
24 King George St.
P.O. Box 1018
91009 Jerusalem
Tel. (02) 6754811/2
Fax (02) 6250890
Website: http://www.infotour.co.il
Functions and Structure
The Ministry of Tourism is charged with developing and fostering the tourism
industry in Israel. Tourism is an export industry, whose economic importance
lies not only in its major contribution to the balance of payments, but also
in its being a magnet for large and ever-increasing investments. The tourism
industry is the direct employer of 60,000 breadwinners throughout the
country and is a tool for regional development and population dispersal.
Tourism is also an effective, credible, and direct means of disseminating
favorable information about Israel: every tourist who comes to Israel gains
a better understanding of the country's position, difficulties, and
accomplishments.
Tourism serves as a bridge for peace and the best link with Diaspora Jewry,
whose visits here reinforce their bonds with Israel. Tourism is also
sometimes the first step toward aliya - immigration to Israel.
The Ministry of Tourism is active both in Israel and abroad. Activities
abroad fall into two categories, both handled by the Ministry's tourism offices. The
Tourism Marketing Department focuses on identifying new markets and market
sectors and on fostering relations with travel agents, airlines, Jewish and
Christian organizations, and other agencies active in the field. The other
category, information activities, handled by the Tourism Promotion
Department, involves public relations, publicity, and advertising to create
the right atmosphere for encouraging tourism to Israel. These activities are
carried out via publicity and advertising in the trade press and mass
media.
Domestic activities fall into four categories:
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Developing physical infrastructure - both accommodations (hotels,
youth hostels, etc.) and regional (promenades, tourist attractions, marinas,
and so forth). This activity is directed by the Ministry's economic unit,
through its subsidiary companies: the Tourist Enterprises Development
Company (Tourism Bank), the Government Tourist Corporation, and the
Government Spas Authority.
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Developing a manpower infrastructure for tourism professions, under the
guidance of the Tourism Services Department, through its training
subsidiaries: the Tourism School (tour guides, travel agents, and escorts
for overseas groups), and the Tadmor Hotel School for hotel workers (chiefly
waiters, cooks, receptionists, and administrative and housekeeping
personnel). These activities are guided by the Tourism Services Department
of the Ministry.
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Developing services and events for incoming tourists, so as to ensure an
appropriate level of reasonably priced services for foreign tourists in
Israel. This is accomplished through a system of accommodations at
appropriate ratings, recommended stores and restaurants, authorized travel
agents, events throughout the year and throughout the country, aimed at
making the tourist's stay here more pleasant. These activities are directed
by the Tourism Services Department.
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Developing domestic tourism. Despite the focus on overseas tourism, the
Ministry also develops domestic tourism by various sectors of the
population, in coordination with local associations, under the guidance of
the Ministry's Tourism Services Department.
The Tourism Marketing Department supervises the activities
of Israel Government Tourist Offices overseas, promotes international
conventions, pilgrimage tours, Jewish, youth, and student tourism, etc. The
Ministry operates 18 tourist offices abroad - in Europe (9), North America
(7), South Africa (1), and Cairo (1) - and has branch offices run by local
personnel (Madrid, Hamburg, Vienna, etc.). The Department also runs seminars
for travel agents, clergymen, and rabbis, tourism evenings for the general
public, participates in tourism fairs, functions as a center for activities
to encourage tourism overseas by the entire tourism industry, and maintains
a publicity, public relations, and marketing network throughout the
world.
The Israel Tourism Services Department licenses various
tourist services, including hotels, restaurants, travel agents, tour guides,
shops, etc.; monitors tourist service quality; maintains tourist bureaus
throughout Israel; promotes purchases of local products and arranges tourist
discounts and exemptions; promotes events geared to make tourists' stay in
Israel pleasant; trains hotel and tourism professionals; and prepares and
implements emergency arrangements for tourists. The Department also works
through its four regions (Haifa/North, Tel Aviv/Central, Jerusalem,
Beersheva/South) and supervises its subsidiary personnel training
corporations.
The Planning and Economics Department coordinates and
manages the Ministry's current and development budgets; coordinates
statistical and marketing data and research; encourages tourism investments
(loans to tourist enterprises, land allocation, recommendations for granting
"Approved Enterprise" status in accordance with the Law for the
Encouragement of Capital Investments); and computerization to handle
Ministry needs in Israel and abroad. The Department also supervises the
Ministry's development corporations.
The Tourism Promotion Department promotes and enhances
Israel's image as a tourist destination, developing and fostering ties with
the media in Israel and abroad, and runs fact-finding tours for journalists
and other influential persons.
The Articles Service sends articles on Israeli tourism to
the press and mass media throughout the world.
The Tourism Information Center provides material in Hebrew
and foreign languages. A domestic information service promotes tourism
awareness among Israelis and publishes position papers, information surveys,
and information pamphlets on a regular basis for use by the Ministry and the
tourism industry in Israel and abroad.
Sources: Israel Ministry of Foreign Affairs |