Published on : Tuesday, May 21, 2019
Eurovision 2019 didn’t bring tens of thousands of tourists that Israel had expected. However, a day after the international song contest ended, Israel’s tourism industry is counting on the massive media exposure that Eurovision generated to attract many more tourists in its wake.
Eurovision 2019 was the biggest international cultural event that Israel ever staged. Anyone who stayed on after the music competition was over was treated to a three-minute video hosted by Gal Gadot, showcasing Tel Aviv’s attractions.
In between the songs, the Israeli public television broadcaster Kan broadcast “postcards” of Israel, which featured 41 sites around the country, including standards like Masada and the Dead Sea, Jerusalem and Haifa’s Bahai Gardens along with unusual sites like Ashdod Port and Sami Ofer Stadium in Haifa.
However, Eurovision alone is expected to change the state of tourism in Israel.
Yossi Fattal, the CEO of the Israel Incoming Tour Operators Association is optimistic that fear of war and terrorism has ceased to be a threat for potential visitors. “The value of the exposure Israel got from the event is equal to half the Tourism Ministry’s annual marketing budget,” said Fattal. “I have no doubt it will bring the same increase in incoming tourism that happened in other host countries in past years.”
In fact, Israel has been seeing record tourism and growth has been higher than the worldwide average. Last year, around 4.1 million visitors came to Israel, which is an increase of 14% from 2017 and 42% from 2016.
Tags: Eurovision 2019, Israel
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