OP-ED
Israel’s Growing Incoming Travel and Tourism Drives Industry Resilience
Israel may become widely known as the ‘Startup Nation’ thanks to countless innovations in the fields of cybersecurity, communications, and technology, but the nation’s vibrant incoming travel and tourism industry is rapidly growing
I srael’s incoming travel and tourism ecosystem has plenty of cause for optimism moving forward. Crucially, July saw the government launch an Electronic Travel Authorization system to approve the entrance of tourists from visa-exempt countries. The move sees the Startup Nation join the likes of the United States, Canada, and Australia where similar systems are already in place.
In adopting an electronic authorization system, the technology has removed some of the typical obstacles that travellers face when boarding a flight to Israel. If the system doesn’t grant approval, applicants will be directed to a service center for further assistance. The timing of the nation’s visa waiver acceptance may be crucial for Israel’s travel and tourism startups. 2024 has seen venture funding rapidly accelerate among
Israeli startups, and a more streamlined tourism infrastructure may see more VC money allocated towards the industry’s brightest innovators. Venture funding in Israel grew by an astonishing 31% in the first half of 2024 in comparison to the same period last year. Many of the incoming tourism leaders have ideas about how to renovate and re-energize the flux of tourists coming to Israel.
Yossi Fatael, the CEO of the Israel’s Incoming Tour Operators Association
6 • www.itn.co.il
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