TBM Staff - Hyderabad In continuation of their initiative to educate the travel agents in India and promoting International Destinations especially to the segments MICE, Leisure, the Israel Ministry of Tourism, India organised an interactive webinar on March 21, 2023 on the Land of Creation called Showcase Israel. The agenda of the webinar was to promote Israel tourism and to showcase the various unique things that can be experienced in Israel.
The webinar highlighted the climate, geography, religion, transportation and new destinations of Israel. It also focused on destinations such as Tel Aviv, Jerusalem, the Dead Sea, Eilat, Haifa etc.
Located in the Eastern Mediterranean, Israel is no more than a seven-hour flight from India. From India, the national carrier Air India offers direct flights to Tel Aviv. The country offers a sunny climate, and a wide variety of historical, archaeological, and religious sites. Israel also houses several UNESCO World Heritage sites across the country, displaying an intriguing contrast between the ancient and modern periods. Opting for an Israeli visa is very easy, as the processing time takes only 3 to 4 days. One can apply through Israel Visa Process Centres in Mumbai, Bengaluru, Delhi and Kolkata.
Sammy Yahia, Director of Tourism, India & Philippines – Israel Ministry of Tourism
Amruta Bangera, Director of Marketing – Israel Ministry of Tourism, IndiaSammy Yahia, Director of Tourism, India & Philippines – Israel Ministry of Tourism and Amruta Bangera, Director of Marketing – Israel Ministry of Tourism, India, during the webinar updated attendees on diverse facets of various regions, cities, and sights of the Holy Land – Israel to enable travel agents to curate itineraries incorporating new things to do and see.
The country is a melting pot of different cultures, in between the 9,000,000 population 74.2% of people are Jewish, 20.9% are Arab, and other religious people consist of 4.8%. The official languages of the country are Hebrew and Arabic. However, the people of Israel are well-versed in English and Russian.
The diverse country has so much to offer from unparalleled hospitality to lip-smacking street foods. The webinar guided on the unmatched gastronomical delicacies that the country offers. Street foods such as different kinds of shawarma, falafel, hummus, burrata, and homemade cheese are world-known delicacies that are much liked by food enthusiasts. There is a lot of option for vegetarians as well. Israeli wines are also famous for their top-notch flavour which is made with locally grown grapes. The country is well connected through railways, buses, sherut taxis, and self-drive.
The webinar showcased various educational videos on destinations such as The Dead Sea, The Negev, The Sea of Galilee, Be’er Sheva, Safeed, Mitzpe Ramon, The Carmel, Jaffa, and Hula Lake. Infrastructure wise the country has some great Highways, Bicycle Trails, and Walking Trails.
Jerusalem: Situated on a plateau in the Judaean Mountains between the Mediterranean and the Dead Sea, Jerusalem is the capital of Israel. it is one of the oldest cities in the world and is considered to be a holy city for the three major Abrahamic religions: Judaism, Christianity, and Islam.
Tel Aviv: Tel Aviv is one of the most vibrant cities in the world. Titled as the ‘Mediterranean Capital of Cool’ by the New York Times, this is a 24-hour city with a unique pulse, combining sandy Mediterranean beaches with world-class nightlife, a buzzing cultural scene, incredible food, and UNESCO-recognized architecture.
At the end of the webinar, the organisers conducted a quiz show on the destination presented, which generated a lot of interest among the participants.
While speaking on the responses received from the Indian travel trade, Sammy Yahia, Director of Tourism, India & Philippines – Israel Ministry of Tourism said, “The response has been good. People really liked the informative webinar.”
Amruta Bangera, Director of Marketing – Israel Ministry of Tourism, India informed that to further promote Israel as a popular destination among Indian tourists the tourism board has planned a few marketing activities by focusing on four points, such as –
•Email marketing: Send a follow-up email to the webinar attendees with a recap of the webinar content and a call-to-action to visit Israel. Include links to relevant resources, such as travel guides, booking websites, and testimonials from previous travellers.
•Travel trade partnerships: Collaborate with travel trade partners, such as travel agencies, tour operators, and travel trade publications, to promote the webinar content and the Israel destination to their networks. Offer exclusive discounts, packages, or incentives to incentivize bookings.
•Webinar replay: Upload the webinar recording to YouTube channel and share the link on social media, email newsletters, and other relevant platforms. Encourage viewers to share the replay with their networks to further promote the destination.
•Workshop: Contemplate on conducting workshops such as for VISA application, DMC selection, ease of working with the Israelis, Itinerary building etc.
