Israel Seeks to Reposition Eilat and Tel Aviv as Tourist Hotspots
The launch of direct flights to Eilat and Tel Aviv in December will help reposition Israel as a winter sun and city break destination for the UK market, according to its head of tourism.
Monarch is to begin weekly services from Luton to Eilat every Thursday and three times a week to Tel Aviv, set to boost the popularity of Israel’s principal resort areas.
Speaking at the World Travel Market event in London, Amir Halevi, director general of the Israel Ministry of Tourism said: " The city break is becoming very popular now with the rise of low-cost airlines but this year we have more than six times the number of weekly flights to Eilat from around Europe, so it’s becoming better known as a winter sun destination ".
Israel has seen an 8% increase in visitor number from the UK so far this year and is investing in a new international airport for Eilat due to open in 2016, as well as new hotel development and plans for a casino to be built on the site of the current airport.
The tourism ministry’s representative for the UK and Ireland, Naama Oryan-Kaplan, said: " Eilat’s strongest USP is the fact that it’s a city, not just a beach resort. If someone is going scuba diving or for a family holiday, they can also enjoy the full city life with shopping, clubbing or family attractions ".
" We expect an increase in traffic as it becomes more accessible and we would hope to double the number of flights for next year. Eilat has been off the radar for a few years but people do know about it and we hope to use this awareness going forward. We think Eilat can offer a very good alternative to other winter destinations ".
The Dead Sea will also see a significant jump in hotel product with a further 5,000 rooms due to be added over the next five years, a trend that is emerging in other popular destinations in Israel. Eilat and the Dead Sea have both benefitted from an increase in domestic tourism as a consequence of the tensions between Israel and Turkey, which made many Israelis choose to holiday in their own home country rather than travelling abroad.
A number of international hotel brands are seeking to enter the market in Israel and a major trend has emerged that is seeing increased development of boutique hotel, predominantly in Tel Aviv and its surrounding area, according to HospitalityNet .
Israel is known for its high ranking among Middle Eastern countries in terms of human development, freedom of press, economic competitiveness and for embracing the cultural diversity of its population. However, the nation’s tumultuous history and difficult geo-political situation since its foundation in 1948 has not encouraged a perception of Israel as a holiday destination, despite its diverse and beautiful landscape.
As the government pushes Eilat and Tel Aviv forward in a bid to increase visitor numbers to Israel’s prime resort areas, there are more opportunities to invest in the hotel and hospitality sector for savvy property investors. Both cities have excellent infrastructures to support tourism combined with many unique attractions that hold a deep significance for visitors of all faiths from around the world.
Article by +Roxanne James on behalf of Propertyshowrooms.com
