All Entries Tagged With: "tourism"
Gay tourism to the Holy Land
As anyone who has spent time in Israel knows, Israel has a thriving and very happening gay community. It may seem out of place in the Holy Land and does often invoke the wrath of the more religious, but it’s here to stay.
And that thriving community is about to be expanded by more of the international gay community; some 200 travel agents from across the world are expected at the annual International Gay and Lesbian Travel Association symposium, which is coming to Tel Aviv for the first time this October, to market Tel Aviv to members of the gay community.
Shay Deutsch, spokesman for the Israeli gay community, was excited:
“The advantage of such a convention is that it exposes to travel agencies around the world what Tel Aviv has to offer to the gay population, and after such a convention, tourism blossoms in the hosting city”.
Tourism Minister Ruhama Avraham Balila had this to say:
“The city is promoting the matter of gay tourism to Tel Aviv. I welcome any tourist coming to Israel, regardless of their sex, opinions, or sexual preferences.”
Hear hear, is what we say. Coming soon, the Gay Guide to Israel.
The Germans are coming!
In a brave new attempt at increasing tourism to Israel, the Israel Tourism Ministry has snapped up the legendary Maccabi Netanya soccer coach, World Cup winner Lothar Matthaus to promote Israel at the ITB international tourism fair in Berlin next month.
The ex-Germany captain will present Israel to his fellow countrymen in an attempt to boost the tourism numbers that were so drastically hit during January, largely down to the war in Gaza and the biting credit crisis.
At the fair, emphasis will be placed on the magic of Tel Aviv and its centenary. And Matthaus should be aware that his footballing skills will be in demand, according to Tourism Ministry Director-General Shaul Tzemah:
“We will paint the fair with attractive colors, he will sign soccer balls, make a few kicks to the goal, play with guests in the Israeli booth and talk about how Israel is a safe country”.
Matthaus will receive minimal payment to cover his expenses (€8,000). He will also give an interview to one of Germany’s biggest newspapers informing them of the delights that await German tourists in the Holy Land. This interview is the equivalent in value to a €70,000 advertising campaign.
There’s a war going on don’t you know
War? What, war here in Israel? You’re kidding right?
So OK, living in Tel Aviv it’s easy to understand why things don’t look so bad. We aren’t constantly interrupted by the sounds of sirens wailing through the air, rushing to shelters or taping up windows. We haven’t stopped going to work, sending our kids to school and kindergarten, or going out for a beer.
We might be watching more news, thanks to the blanket coverage, but are we really aware that less than an hour’s drive away, people are practically living in shelters, school is cancelled, and 18-19 year old boys are preparing to combat a rather nasty bunch of Hamas militants.
Just yesterday, driving home after doing some shopping, I turned to the wife and said “Hard to believe there’s a war going on just an hour’s drive from here…” But she had fallen asleep, so my two littluns in the back seat giggled as I made a face. The streets were full of traffic, while people strolled down the street, laughing at private conversations on their mobile phones while tucking their chins in from the cold breeze whipping through Tel Aviv (yes, it does even sometimes get cold here in Tel Aviv!).
But with the war in Gaza continuing and Tel Aviv a possible target for longer range missiles, I’m not going to tell you that this is the perfect time for a visit to Israel. The bubble that is Tel Aviv is still a safe place to be in (as I sit typing and watching the froth settle on my beer), as is much of Israel. It’s just that I know what the BBC and CNN are showing and you’re probably convinced that the whole country has donned combat pants and jackets with M16s slung over shoulders…
If you’re coming for a trip to Israel, and staying in the centre of the country or even Jerusalem, you’ll be fine. It’s still safe in Israel, especially in the centre of the country. You probably won’t even notice anything out of the ordinary, except for the obsession with watching the latest TV news updates. Tourism to Israel is undoubtedly taking a hit right now, but I think the Israel tourism ministry sums it up nicely:
“Representatives of the Tourism Ministry are in direct and continuous contact with all tourism industry elements in Israel and abroad, through the managers of the tourism bureaus located in different countries, and are holding daily evaluations of the situation.
“The ministry would like to clarify that the military operation is taking place in the Gaza Strip and the western Negev, which are far from Israel’s tour and vacation sites, and thus there is no reason for people not to continue their visit to Israel.”
And you can always check out your government’s travel advisory. For example, both the US and UK are warning against certain areas, specifically Gaza, but don’t advise against travelling to Israel in general. See the following two links:
I say come on over, see the Old City in Jerusalem, dip your toes in the Med, have a beer or glass of wine, and watch that sun set from your beach chair. By the time you’ve come and gone, all this will be over anyway. I hope.
So, is it still safe to visit Israel?
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On Thursday we were celebrating Christmas; Saturday, pictures of bomb ravaged Gaza hit the screens. In the space of two days it has apparently all changed. The “explosion of love” I spoke about in my last post turned a full 180 degrees with a whole different series of explosions…
The world newsdesks sent their teams to cover Christmas in Bethlehem with huge numbers of tourists visiting Jesus’ birthplace. But now these news teams are no longer focused on Israel tourism, unfortunately.
So, it must seem that the whole country is at war and tourism will cease immediately. Undoubtedly there will be some effect on the number of tourists visiting Israel, but the reality for those tourists still here, or intending to visit, is much different.
I’ve been here for 18 years, trust me, the areas that you will likely visit as tourists are nowhere near the areas where the fighting is taking place. Gaza has always been a hot spot, and there are always incidents there, but look at the map - it’s way down South on the border with Egypt. There is no real danger.
2008 - Israel the record breaker!
Yes, 2008 has been another good year for Israel. Might come as a bit of a surprise, given the current world economic crisis, but the tourists are still flocking to the Holy Land. And with Christmas just round the corner, those numbers are going to increase still further. More on the main site about the actual numbers.
Could it be that the numbers are up after watching videos of beautiful Israeli girls frolicking on the beach? Or perhaps the hordes of tourists were enticed by the lush production skills of the Ministry of Tourism? Whatever the reason, igoogledisrael.com is here to serve and obey all those tourists looking for more information on the Holy Land…
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