Tourism Ministry investing in China as visitation reaches record high

Tourism Ministry investing in China as visitation reaches record high

 

By DANIEL K. EISENBUD

 

 

''Ministry has identified the tourism potential in China, defining it as one of the leading destinations in its campaign for emerging markets.''

Noting China’s exponential tourism growth and interest in the Jewish state, the Israeli Embassy in Beijing has launched an Israel-themed “Road Show” to market the country, as well as ease visa restrictions for Chinese visitors.

Israel has become an increasingly attractive tourism destination for Chinese visitors, according to the Central Bureau of Statistics.

Indeed, in 2012, more than 20,000 visitors from China came to the country, and there was a 27-percent rise in Chinese tourists in the first five months of this year.

“The Tourism Ministry has identified the tourism potential in China, defining it as one of the leading destinations in its campaign for emerging markets,” Tourism Minister Uzi Landau said Monday. “As a result, we will work to increase the number of incoming tourists from China to Israel over the next few years.”

In an effort to seize on this momentum, Landau said the Israeli Government Tourist Office in China has organizing a “Road Show” in Beijing, Shanghai and Guangzhou for the cities’ leading travel agents which began Monday and will continue until Friday.

The Road Show consists of seminars marketing Israeli tourism activities, and a series of roundtable meetings between Israeli and Chinese tour operators to encourage cooperation.

The ministry has also produced a booklet in Chinese, featuring business profiles of the Israeli companies participating in the Road Show.

Additionally, to spur greater tourism from China, the ministry will offer visitors an option for a visa for independent travelers without the need for assistance from a local tour operator, a simpler procedure for issuing business visas to Israel, and bank guarantees for residents of Beijing, Shanghai and Guangzhou, where Israel has consular offices.

 

The Jerusalem Post – 10 July 2013