With tourism hit by the current wave of terror, Israel's Ministry of Tourism is collaborating with e-commerce company Groupon to market low-cost vacations, "Yediot Ahronot" reports. In a special deal seven day vacations including flights, accommodation, food and tours are being offered to 30 million US households for $990-1,400.
Minister of Tourism Yariv Levin said, "Continued marketing activity is aimed at preserving incoming tourism and creating a faster exit route once the security problem is behind us. So far, it has been proving itself. There have hardly been any cancellations so far, and despite the slowdown in reservations, we are not witnessing a terrible crisis or something people should change their habits for. When you shout, 'Crisis, crisis,' it only intensifies the external crisis and makes people hesitate whether to come to Israel. When they see that we keep marketing Israel as usual, it projects business as usual."
Levin said that the e-commerce trial with Groupon would be expanded if it proved successful.
The campaign begins next Tuesday and will extend over two weeks. The vacation packages include Jerusalem, Tel Aviv and the Galilee and the Tourism Ministry aims to sell 1,500 packages.
Published by Globes [online], Israel business news - www.globes-online.com - on October 21, 2015
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