Israel Launches New Tourism Campaign to Attract British Visitors
Israel's Ministry of Tourism is launching a "I AM ISRAEL" campaign in the UK to boost tourism following the October 7th attacks and recent diplomatic tensions. The campaign aims to showcase diverse aspects of Israeli life and reach new audiences, with officials stating they "are no longer apologizing" for promoting the country. This effort coincides with the resumption of flights by British Airways and an easing of UK travel advisories, though specific risks are still noted.
הידיעה ב-5 שורות · תקציר של baba
- Israel's Ministry of Tourism is launching a new "I AM ISRAEL" campaign in the UK to attract tourists.
- The campaign aims to showcase Israel's diverse culture and people, including references to the October 7th attacks.
- The initiative follows a recent diplomatic dispute between Israel and the UK.
- British Airways has resumed flights to Israel, and UK travel advisories have been eased.
- Ministry officials state the campaign is for tourism and not political purposes.
Israel's Ministry of Tourism is preparing to launch a new advertising campaign in the United Kingdom aimed at attracting British tourists back to the country. The campaign, titled "I AM ISRAEL," is the first directed at the British public since the October 7th attacks and follows a more than three-year hiatus in proactive tourism promotion in the UK. The campaign showcases Israel's diverse people, cultures, and lifestyles, featuring elements like a drag queen and nuns, alongside a poignant reference to the Nova music festival massacre through a tattoo and the phrase "I carry scars."
The initiative, which originally launched in the United States in June, seeks to present a different side of Israel and reawaken interest in visiting. Yoash Ben-Yitzhak, head of global marketing at the Ministry of Tourism, stated that a key objective is to reach non-Jewish audiences, suggesting that messages about Israel's safety and appeal are more convincing when delivered by visiting tourists rather than official sources. "We are no longer apologizing," Ben-Yitzhak remarked regarding Israel's global marketing efforts.
This campaign follows a recent diplomatic crisis between Israel and the UK over sanctions on West Bank settlements, which led to threats of expelling Israeli diplomats. Despite the tensions, British Airways resumed flights to Israel on October 25th, and five airlines now operate direct routes between Tel Aviv and London. The UK's Foreign Office also eased its travel advisory for Israel in June, though warnings for specific areas remain.
Ministry of Tourism Director General Michael Yitzhakov emphasized that the campaign is purely for tourism, not politics, in response to potential opposition in the UK. "It's a tourism campaign, not a political campaign," he told Travel Weekly. The ministry is also engaging with the British tourism industry through professional training for travel agents and familiarization trips to Israel, aiming to reintegrate the country into vacation packages marketed in the UK.
מוזכרים