Israel Tourism Minister to Visit PHL Next Week

About a year since two Philippine cabinet heads visited Israel, Israel Tourism Minister Yariv Levin is set to reciprocate by visiting the Philippines on Sept 16 to 22, 2015.

According to the Philippine Embassy, Levin will be meeting with his counterpart, Department of Tourism (DOT) Secretary Ramon Jimenez, Jr., and other key officials to discuss ways to boost bilateral tourism cooperation.

To recall, Department of National Defense (DND) Secretary Voltaire Gazmin and Department of Foreign Affairs (DFA) Secretary Albert Del Rosario visited Israel in 2014. Meanwhile, then DOT Secretary Joseph “Ace” Durano visited Israel in 2009.

Expected to be tackled in the joint ministerial conference are ways to increase two-way tourism and strengthen the dynamic diplomatic relations between the two countries, now spanning 58 years.

Levin also plans to meet with Philippine tour agencies to encourage them to sell Israel as a major tour destination.

Data from the DOT showed that a total of 8,776 Israeli tourists arrived in the Philippines, again making Israel the third largest tourist market of the Philippines in the Middle East, after Saudi Arabia and UAE.

Statistics from the website of the Israeli Central Bureau Statistics (CBS) meanwhile noted that a total of 11,300 Filipinos (excluding day visitors and cruise passengers) toured the Holy Land in 2013, making the Philippines the 6th largest market of Israel in Asia. (PNA) CTB/ANP