Welcome to Israel - Both as a guest and as an investor!

Tourism Assets

Israel has some of the most important tourism sites in the world, ranging from religiously significant sites such as Jerusalem, with all its attractions, through national and international heritage sites such as Masada, to unique natural sites like the Dead Sea.

Leading tourism centers in Israel:

● Jerusalem - the 3000-year-old city which is significant to billions across the globe. The New York-based Travel and Leisure magazine named Jerusalem as the best city in Africa and the Middle East in 2010, based on criteria such as sites, culture and arts, restaurants and food, people, shopping and value. In addition, readers of the popular travel website TripAdvisor ranked Jerusalem among the top 10 culture and sightseeing destinations in the world.

● Tel Aviv - the exciting, non-stop urban center of business, culture and entertainment. The Lonely Planet travel guide named Tel Aviv as the third best city in the world. The National Geographic magazine included Tel Aviv among the world’s top 10 beach cities. The city was also voted the third best city in Africa and the Middle East by the New York-based Travel + Leisure magazine and one of the world’s top party cities by Forbes magazine, and was included in the Louis Vuitton 2010 European Cities Guide.

● Eilat - the ever-sunny modern recreation city on the Red Sea coast.

● Tiberias - a town on the Sea of Galilee (Lake Kinneret) shore, dating back to the times of Jesus, who lived and preached in its surroundings.

● The Dead Sea - which ranks among the wonders of nature, due to its special attribute as the lowest place on Earth, as well as the enormous mineral wealth of its waters and the therapeutic qualities attributed to its waters, mud and air. The Dead Sea is indeed one of the 28 finalists in the New 7 Wonders of Nature international online competition.

● Several more historic cities (Acre, Nazareth, Safed, Jaffa) and seaside cities (Haifa, Netanya, Herzliya, etc.) join this list as well.

Israel is the Holy Land, regarded as holy by all the monotheistic religions. The country abounds in archeological and historical sites, and offers a wealth and diversity of culture, including ethnic culture. Though very small in area, Israel has a broad range of landscapes and climates. Its small size facilitates the combination of cultural tourism with recreational tourism. In addition, Israel is a "Western" country with a developed technology and with vibrant modern cities.

General economic trends

Development towards a modern and open business environment in Israel has been underpinned by comprehensive deregulation across all sectors of the economy. Israel enjoys high levels of freedom in trade, investment, monetary controls and labor. The economy is open to foreign investment in almost all sectors. Tariff rates are low, so is inflation, and the labor market is highly flexible.

Government Policy on Tourism Investment

Among the targets set by the Ministry of Tourism for the coming years is the arrival of 5 million tourists per year beginning in 2015. This target, juxtaposed against the existing supply of hotel rooms, translates into a need for 19,000 additional hotel rooms (to reach a total of 65,000 rooms) by 2015.

Main Government Support Channels

● The Israeli Ministry of Tourism is working to develop a unique and variegated tourism product, by providing assistance to entrepreneurs for the construction of hotels and attractions, and through investment in the development of major visitor attractions (archeological, religious, historical and scenic) and development of tourism centers.

● The ministry is looking to consolidate Israel’s image as a tourist destination by conducting marketing campaigns and operations.

● The ministry is working to facilitate access to Israel through the liberalization of air transport policy, agreements with wholesalers and airlines, and removal of administrative impediments such as the need for visas.

● The ministry holds local, regional and national marketing campaigns for domestic tourism and promotes the staging of tourist-drawing events.

● The ministry holds courses on product and service quality for workers in the various tourism sectors, in order to promote high standards.

● The ministry has prepared a strategic plan for sustainable development, which is being implemented in stages.

Projects which conform to government policy for the development of tourist accommodation facilities, and prove to be economically viable, are eligible for government assistance according to the Encouragement of Capital Investment Law.

Table of Contents

Israel Overview
Economic Context
   Some Highlights
   General Trends
Tourism
   Tourism Assets
   Tourism - Facts and Numbers
   Gateways to Israel
   Domestic Tourism
Government Policy on Tourism Investment
   Hotel Rooms - Target Numbers
   Main Government Support Channels
Government Assistance for New Tourism Projects
   Categories of Assistance
   Corporations Eligible for Assistance
   Authorities Involved in the Approval Procedure
   Grants
   Tax Benefits

Business Projects Promotion Center
Ministry of Tourism
5 Bank of Israel St., Jerusalem 91009, Israel
Tel: 972-2-6664344
Fax: 972-2-6664445
Email: meravp@tourism.gov.il 
www.goisrael@gov.il / http://www.tourism.gov.il/