September 2023
built, as well as new mergers are being observed on the hotel sector, which will lead to the construction of additional rooms. How many more hotel rooms are needed in Israel to meet the demand? The Ministry of Tourism under my leadership has set a target of seven million tourists in 2030. For this purpose, an addition of approximately 12,000 rooms is required to the existing supply of 58,000 rooms. This year, another 3,941 rooms are expected to be added. In order to speed up the pace of hotel construction, we will advance moves to reduce regulation in hotel construction procedures, among other things by shortening the planning process, examining the implementation of claims for accommodation facilities and mixing uses, alongside writing a national outline plan.
projects. We are tightening the supervision of the infrastructure construction projects that the ministry is carrying out, while collecting matching from authorities that have paid and prevented progress in the projects for years. For the first time this year, we introduced into the TTP procedure, the stipulation that states that an authority that does not know how to carry out a project with clear milestones, and procrastinates in implementing the budget, the budget will be taken from it and transferred to the next in line. We are working to perfect the marketing system while adapting the messages of Israel’s flagship campaign to the target country. We will build a team of ambassadors, and improve the visibility of our campaigns on social networks. There are two moves that are in front of me right now and they are critical to the improvement and development of tourism in Israel: The first, a reform of border control, the treatment that tourists receive when entering and leaving Israel harms our efforts to bring tourists and turn them into ambassadors, the inspection procedure leaves a bad taste and harms the tourist experience. The humiliating attitude, the irrelevant questioning about religious customs - is not acceptable. I am working with the security authorities in order to lead a change in the issue. The second, shortening the construction time of hotels in Israel. Today it takes I want to turn the tourism ministry into a leading and effective economic ministry. Along with improving the employment conditions of the employees, we become surveyors and set milestones for our projects
an average entrepreneur ten years to build a hotel. This harms the viability and attractiveness of the investment, supply and competition. I instructed the professionals to formulate steps and lead a reform on the subject, there is no reason in the world for a hotel to be built in 3-4 years and with us in double time. Most of the Ministry of Tourism’s budget abroad is directed to attract tourists from the United States and the United Kingdom. Will the allocation of the budget change the order of priorities in favor of new or developing countries (for example, new countries with which we have relations in Africa, Dubai, etc.)? The Ministry of Tourism becomes a measure. Starting in October, in-depth marketing research will begin with the aim of learning about existing and new markets so that we direct resources to the countries with the greatest potential. We are still investing in Dubai today. Israelis are flocking to the United Arab Emirates in droves, but tourism entering Israel is in the opposite direction. This is mainly due to a negative prejudice about Israel. The exposure of Israel in the media in Arab countries is mainly in a negative context and for years there was disinformation about us. Tourism is a bridge to peace, and I hope we will be able to see more tourists from the United Arab Emirates, Bahrain and other countries with which we have strengthened ties in recent years. We will do our best for the issue. The previous minister of tourism created an advertisement starring him in the style of James Bond, which was very successful in the world, and this was to attract tourists. Is the current minister of tourism also going to attract audiences in
Recently, we worked to ease the bureaucracy in the construction of
hotels on the north coast in Eilat, this is a historic move to remove the height limit for construction, which will result in the addition of hundreds of rooms in the city. What are the three main goals of the Ministry of Tourism in the coming term in order to attract tourists from abroad? When I took office, I worked so that the Ministry of Tourism would also be recognized as an economic ministry in the Treasury. I brought about a change in the ranks of the office employees and increased the incentive pay to 15%. I also worked to cancel the VAT section on tourists that was planned in the budget while increasing the ministry’s budget by 650 million ILS from the original planning of the Treasury. I want to turn the tourism ministry into a leading and effective economic ministry. Along with improving the employment conditions of the employees, we become surveyors and set milestones for our
an original and unusual way? You will have to wait and see.
Israel Travel News • 5
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