Netanya splashes out on seaside revival
OLGA LURIE, the general manager of the Netanya Association for Tourism, is bursting with pride. The influx of British, American and French immigrants, as well as the growing numbers of English-speaking tourists into Netanya, has spurred rapid development of the city’s seaside hotel industry.
In the past year alone, several fivestar hotels have either opened or entered various stages of construction. The owners of the older hotels, some of which had fallen into disrepair over the years, have taken notice of what is happening around them and have pumped tens of millions of pounds into renovation and upgrades.
The revival of the beachfront promenade area underscores Netanya’s transformation from a crime-ridden city with an economically weak population into a thriving seaside metropolis where Anglo and French immigrants have participated in the area’s renaissance by opening pubs, patisseries and restaurants.
“The makeover of the beachfront area, which also features many new, upscale residential complexes, has truly turned Netanya into the Israeli Riviera,” says Lurie.
“The evolutionary facelift that we have given to the beachfront and Netanya in general has created a tourism revolution. This past summer season, the numbers of incoming tourists to Israel were up significantly and that affected us as well, with 30 per cent growth.”
Lurie says one of the city’s biggest tourist attractions is its weather. “It never really gets cold here during the winter. Even in January and February the temperature outside will be near 70°F (21°C) most of the time. For British tourists escaping from the chilly UK, that’s quite warm. Which is why we invested in also building year-round outdoor sports attractions.
“It’s not just about jogging along the nearly 14km beachfront promenade — which is fun — but we have attractions for people of all ages, including a skate park and of course, the beautiful outdoor football stadium, which hosts Maccabi Netanya and Maccabi Tel Aviv in the winter season and attracts many fans from abroad.”
Surf’s up — especially in autumn/ winter, when the waves are particularly enticing for those who like to grab a board and ride a Mediterranean wave. “We boast most of the cleanest beaches in all of Israel, nine official beaches, where we feature several surfing competitions throughout the year and yes, one can learn how to surf as well,” says Lurie.
Netanya also has other indoor and outdoor swimming venues, as well as the new Planetaya Planetarium, which features a scientists’ garden.
Some of the city’s best-known synagogues near the beachfront have also become tourist attractions, says Lurie. Visitors are pleased to find a friendly minyan and a tasty kiddush. The Young Israel of Netanya and the MacDonald’s Street synagogue, aka the Beit Knesset Hachadash, have high numbers of English-speaking congregants.
To help travellers considering a trip to Netanya to discover what the city has to offer, from hotels to forthcoming events, Lurie’s staff have created a user-friendly and informative website: gonetanya.com/?lang=en
As she says: “All you need to do is to bring a swimsuit and a willingness to relax and have fun.”