‘India is a vast market with untapped potential’
Israel is a dynamic destination in the Middle East that caters to all types of travellers seeking luxury and relaxation. The cities of Tel Aviv and Jerusalem are popular MICE destinations and have renowned hotels, modern infrastructure, and well-equipped convention centres. The Dead Sea and Eilat are great MICE add-ons, especially with the recently opened Ramon International Airport (ETM) in Eilat, servicing the region. Sammy Yahia, Director, Israel Ministry of Tourism, India and Philippines, tells us why Israel makes for a perfect MICE destination.
Since opening the skies to all travellers on March 1, 2022, the Israel Government tourist office has seen over 165,000 tourists travel into the country and they are thrilled and expecting more tourists to arrive there in the following months. While they are happy to see the movement of tourists to Israel, they are even more pleased to receive many MICE queries from their travel partners and corporations as well.
“I have received many queries regarding potential MICE movement to Israel and we are currently working with our corporate partners and tour operators to finalise Israel as their destination of choice. To assist with their decision, we have been meeting with the decision-makers and not only sharing destination presentations with them but also connecting them with the partners, be it DMCs, city/region municipalities, MICE specialists, airline partners, and other stakeholders,” says Sammy.
Israel has hosted several international conventions and conferences. Most recently, they held the 70th Miss Universe Competition in the resort city of Eilat, hosting participants from 80 different countries. Owing to Israel’s modern infrastructure, impressive hotels, availability of international cuisinesvegetarian, vegan, and non-vegetarian options, as well as the state-of-the-art convention centres and bleisure activities it makes for a great MICE destination.
Organisers have the option to choose from unique venues throughout the country to host unforgettable conferences at venues like kibbutz settlements, hotels, universities, and convention centres that can accommodate from 50 to 10,000 participants, all providing ultra-modern, state-of-the-art facilities.
Speaking of unique MICE venues in Israel, Sammy informs, “We have hospitals, such as the two Hadassah Hospital in Jerusalem, known worldwide for their advanced medical technology, are perfect locations to hold medical conferences and
meetings. The recently renovated EXPO Tel Aviv–International Convention Center boasts 20 conference halls with 20,000 sqm of exhibition space, Also, the International Convention Center Jerusalem - Binyanei Haooma - offers pressrooms linked to every corner of the globe through excellent communications systems that support international video conferencing and direct access to all major television networks. The Weizmann Institute of Science, one of the world’s leading multidisciplinary basic research institutions, ranked sixth in Nature Innovation Index, 2017, and first outside the USA, is an additional institution to host your prestigious event.”
In Israel, MICE travellers have a host of activities to choose from on their visit. One can experience a wine and cheese tour to taste some of the best produce; or opt for a mud spa treatment at the Dead Sea; reconnect with your spirituality in Jerusalem; explore the thriving culinary culture of Tel Aviv or swim with dolphins in Eilat. For the adventurous kind, Israel also offers tandem skydiving, luxury desert camping in the Negev, and winter activities at Mount Hermon in the winter.
About MICE business expectations from the Indian market, Sammy says, “India is a vast market with untapped potential. There are many sectors of Indian industry that we are yet to approach to build our MICE business. While medical, financial, security, technology, and agriculture are industries that have MICE movement to Israel, I am working on attracting alternate industries as well as education, health, and wellness, automotive, FMCG, metalworks, and others.”
While the destination is well equipped to welcome MICE groups of all sizes, the India office also provides groups with support. As and when required, the office provides help with visa facilitation (both group visas and individual visas) as well as support at border control, where the group’s immigration is processed together.
Since the pandemic, Sammy says he has observed many changing trends in the MICE industry. He has noticed that while many companies are adopting the hybrid work model, working from home and office, not all companies have returned to the requirement for corporate travel. He foresees that this could increase the demand for MICE travel, especially in the Incentives segment to not only show their team members appreciation but also to help with team building.
“Also, in the present landscape, there are many factors that are affecting travel. While the world is ready to resume cross-border movement, the lack of standardisation in COVID protocols, limited connectivity, and increase in logistical costs have created a slight hurdle in the segment’s growth. On the other hand, the tourism industry is benefitting from digitization which not only helps save time and money but also adds convenience and ease to the travel process,” says Sammy.