Continuing to build the Israel – India connect
With the teams making changes to their goals for 2020, The Israel Government Tourist Office (IGTO) based in Mumbai, has adjusted their strategy to adapt to the evolving changes in both India and Israel, to achieve their goals. Sammy Yahia, IGTO Director of Tourism, India, and Philippines, converses with TTJ on their plans and work scenario in the current situation, which is filled with the uncertainty of when life and tourism will resume to normal.
With Israel coming out of Lockdown 2.0, Sammy’s strategy is to keep the notion of Israel as a holiday destination in the mind of every Indian traveller. To successfully do that, they are constantly in touch with their partners in the industry, including travel agents and tour operators, airline partners, media partners, corporates and consumers (through social media), amongst a few.
The current ‘work from home’ routine has resulted in many organisations increasing their dependence on online tools to keep in touch with their team members and clients/ vendors, which is the same for all of them at the Israel Ministry of Tourism. “While it has presented its challenges to all of us, team members from all over the world have been collaborating more with their counterparts, creating strategies while sharing ideas, which has boosted productivity.
The Israel Government Tourist Office (IGTO) in Mumbai has been using digital tools, such as webinars, online conferences, video meetings, online presentations, etc. to continue our work in the market. We are also using traditional tools, namely conference calls and phone calls, to keep in touch with the team and our partners as well,” informs Sammy.
Israel, presently, is accepting visitors from select countries with requirements for all travellers, and travel partners, strictly adhering to the health and safety guidelines from the Ministry of Health. In an attempt to utilise the pandemic lockdown as successfully as possible, the Israel Ministry of Tourism (IMOT) has been working tirelessly to improve the tourism infrastructure as well as upgrade the tourism products available in Israel. With the signing of the Abraham Accords in September and the opening of new tourism routes to the UAE and the Kingdom of Bahrain, IMOT is developing the Israeli tourism product to meet the requirements of Emirati tourists.
Israel offers a plethora of things to do and see to cater to the discerning traveller. From the historical city of Jerusalem to the beach city of Tel Aviv; the lowest point on earth Dead Sea, to the marvellous underwater marine life of the Red Sea in Eilat and the World UNESCO Heritage sites all across the country, Israel is truly a dynamic destination.