|
Wholesale Tourism Conference to Encourage Tourism in Eilat For Russian Speaking Countries |
|
|
The conference was held as part of a series of activities intended to increase the number of tourists that come to Eilat through direct flights from these countries. About 100 leading wholesale and travel agents from Russia, Ukraine and Belarus have recently participated in a conference in Eilat, dealing with holidays and lodgings in the city. The conference was initiated by the Ministry of Tourism with the participation of El-Al and the Eilat Hotel Association. Participants discussed co-operations that would lead to an increased tourist demand from Russian speaking countries for holiday packages in Eilat. As part of the conference, the wholesalers participated in professional workshops and different events. They also toured the city, including the Dolphin Reef, the Underwater Observatory Marine Park and other sites. Among other things, the guests met with Israeli travel agents as part of the Travel Agent Association's annual convention. In 2007, there was an increase of 157% in inbound tourism from Russia to Israel, southernmost city compared to the previous year, reaching 190,000 tourists. Ukrainian tourism increased by 127%, amounting to 70,000 tourists. Belarus' inbound tourism has risen by 79%, reaching about 10,000 tourists. Israel tourist bodies expect that with the exemption from visas for Russian tourists, there will be another significant increase of tourism from this country. In relation to that, there is an intention to lobby the cancellation the requirement for a visa for tourists from other countries as well, including the Ukraine. The Ministry of Tourism estimates that 310,000 tourists from Russian speaking countries will enter Israel in 2008. To watch videos of tourist routes in Eilat:
|
|
