Israel Launches First Post-October 7 UK Tourism Campaign
Translated & summarized from NEWSru Israel by baba
Israel's Ministry of Tourism is launching its "I AM ISRAEL" advertising campaign in the UK, the first since October 7th. The campaign highlights Israeli culture and people, including a reference to the attacks. Tourism from the UK had been growing significantly before the conflict, and major airlines have resumed flights to Israel.
The story in 5 lines · by baba
- Israel's Ministry of Tourism launches "I AM ISRAEL" campaign in UK, first since October 7.
- The campaign features diverse imagery and includes a reference to the October 7th attacks.
- UK tourism to Israel had grown nearly 50% year-over-year in September before the conflict.
- British Airways resumed flights to Israel on October 25th, with five airlines now flying the route.
- The UK Foreign Office lifted its general travel advisory against Israel in late October.
Israel's Ministry of Tourism is set to launch its "I AM ISRAEL" advertising campaign in the United Kingdom, marking the first such initiative targeting British citizens since the October 7th attacks. The campaign aims to showcase Israel through its people, culture, and lifestyle, featuring diverse imagery including a drag queen and nuns in its promotional video. A poignant reference to the October 7th events is included, with a scene depicting two young women embracing, one bearing a "NOVA" tattoo, accompanied by a voiceover stating, "I wear the scars."
The campaign, which initially debuted in the U.S. in June, was presented in its British iteration this week at the World Travel Market international tourism exhibition in London. Specific details regarding the budget, timeline, and advertising platforms remain undisclosed. Concurrently, the ministry is producing content at the airport featuring tourists sharing their experiences in Israel.
A primary objective of the campaign is to attract a non-Jewish audience. Prior to the recent conflict, tourism from the UK had shown significant growth. In September, approximately 13,100 tourists visited Israel from the UK, a nearly 50% increase compared to September 2022, making Britain the second-largest source of tourists after the U.S. In all of 2022, around 104,800 British nationals visited Israel, a roughly one-third increase from the previous year. Overall tourist entries in 2022 reached about 1.32 million, a substantial decrease from the 4.5 million recorded in 2019.
Following the October 7th events, the UK Foreign Office rescinded its general advisory against all travel to Israel in late October, though warnings for specific areas persist. British Airways resumed flights to Israel on October 25th, and currently, five airlines operate direct flights between Tel Aviv and London: El Al, Arkia, Israir, British Airways, and Wizz Air.
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