DRMumbai: As India and Israel bask in the warmth of their new-found friendship, different sectors of both the countries are pondering avenues to firm up mutual cooperation. One of the major areas of possible tie-up is the tourism sector. With tourist arrivals from India fast picking up, Israel is also keen on tapping the potential of outbound tourism from India further. Here, Hassan Madah, Director, Israel Ministry of Tourism, India speaks about the Indian angle of Israel’s tourism story.
The historic visit by Prime Minister Narendra Modi to Israel in early 2017 has sparked a renewed interest among Indians to visit Israel
How do you think Prime Minister Modi’s visit to Israel in early 2017 benefited tourism arrivals from India to your country?
The year 2017 has been an outstanding one for us in terms of tourist arrivals from India. We exceeded record arrival figures of 2016. From January through November, 2017 we saw over 55,000 Indian visitors coming to Israel, an increase of 31 per cent compared to the same period in 2016. The historic visit by Prime Minister Narendra Modi to Israel has sparked a renewed interest among Indians to visit Israel by creating awareness among a larger Indian audience. This has only heightened now with our Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu visiting India recently.
How has the visitor traffic from India been growing YoY?
With over 20 million outbound tourists a year, India is a very important market for us and the numbers are growing. We have seen constant growth in the arrival figures from the Indian market in the last four years, setting records for the second consecutive year. With airlines expressing interest in increasing connectivity between India and Israel, I am confident the growth will continue. The Holy Land/pilgrimage market is still our strongest segment. However, we have seen very strong growth in leisure tourism and corporate travel segments as well.
Direct air connectivity between Indian cities and Tel Aviv is still an area of concern. What is the status of your talks to get Air India to start direct flights to Tel Aviv?
Currently, El Al Israel Airlines is the only carrier offering direct flights from Mumbai to Tel Aviv. However, with Prime Minister Modi’s announcement of Air India starting operations to Tel Aviv and, Arkia, an Israeli airline, expressing interest in starting operations to India, we are certain that there will be an increase in direct connectivity from Indian cities to Israel. The process with Air India is moving ahead and they are in the final stages of clearing requirements prior to the commencement of the first flight.
In 2018, Israel is targeting one lakh visitors from India. How ambitious is this?
We have recently announced relaxed visa rules for Indian tourists who have already travelled to any of the Schengen countries, US, Canada, Australia or Israel. Express visa service through VFS is another service we will implement this year to facilitate quicker processing. We will continue our marketing efforts through campaigns across all platforms, as well as joint marketing agreements with travel trade to catalyse the growth of outbound tourism from India to Israel. Through November, 2017 we have registered 31 per cent growth and I am certain that we will continue this momentum into 2018, achieving the target of one lakh travellers.
Besides pilgrimage and MICE, what other experiences/new products are you showcasing that may appeal to Indians?
We have been actively working on growing the leisure travel segment, be it family, individual travellers, history buffs, party animals or beach lovers. Israel offers many experiences across its varying topography that are engaging and unique, like the Sound and Light Night Spectacular at the Tower of David in Jerusalem, the Dead Sea region with historical sites, outdoor trails, unique accommodation and personal care products; diverse nightlife in Tel Aviv, all enjoyed with friendly and welcoming locals. We will continue our efforts to encourage all segments of travellers from the Indian market to visit Israel.
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