The Israel ministry of tourism plans to bring back tourists by the middle of 2021. The plan includes adaptation to the COVID-19 era in all areas covered by the activities of the ministry, including marketing, infrastructure and the tourist experience.
Last year began with optimism but ended with the skies closed and a ban on incoming tourists. In total, about 850,000 tourists entered Israel in 2020, a dip of 81 per cent compared to the prior year.
According to the Israel minister of tourism, Orit Farkash-Hacohen, the past year had dealt a severe blow to the tourism industry. Such a year should be used to strengthen and build infrastructure, work plans and programs that strengthen the industry for the moment when it can reopen. Besides, the people working in the tourism industry during such a time lost their income totally.
Israel currently leads the world in terms of COVID-19 vaccination, with approaching 20 per cent of the population having had at least the first of two injections. However, cases are currently rising, with stricter lockdown measures set to be introduced.
The working premise in the marketing department is that, when the skies re-open around the world, there will be fierce competition for every tourist, and the countries that will be the first to act will gain an advantage.
Accordingly, the ministry has prepared a plan to bring back tourists to Israel. Beginning in the first quarter of 2020, with the spread of the pandemic, the ministry instigated many actions to maintain those marketing channels which were nurtured over many years, and to maintain Israel as an attractive tourist destination in the minds of potential tourists.
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