Tourism Ministry doubles international marketing fund to NIS 10 million
through the end of 2014

Even before the government decision on compensation: Tourism Ministry
doubles international marketing fund to NIS 10 million through the end of
2014 and allocates NIS 10 million for 2015

Tourism Ministry also reduces by 25% participatory costs for tourism
industry representatives in renting exhibition space in the Ministry's stand
at 2014-15 winter tourism exhibitions

Tourism Minister Dr. Uzi Landau: "Given the statistics showing a decrease in
incoming tourism, we decided to take a number of measures, of which the main
one is to invest in the marketing budget in an understanding that marketing
tools contribute significantly to an increase in incoming tourism."

Jerusalem - September 14, 2014: Following the severe blow to tourism of tens
of percent decline and cancellations into early 2015, the Tourism Ministry
is not waiting for the government decision related to compensation formats
for the industry. Rather, the ministry has doubled the size of the marketing
fund to NIS 10 million through to the end of 2014.

In a letter sent today (Sunday) by the Tourism Ministry Director-General
Amir Halevi to the chairman of the Israel Incoming Tour Operators
Association Shmuel Marom, Halevi wrote: "In the light of Operation
Protective Edge and its impact on the tourism industry, the Tourism Ministry
intends to take a number of immediate measures in order to create a higher
degree of certainty for you, the incoming tour operators, related to the
anticipated government assistance in order to increase activities in the
field for your members." The letter also stated that in order not to delay
matters and alongside procedures related to compensation formats and
assistance, "it is our intention to act immediately on an internal decision
that does not require the approval of the Finance Ministry, within the
existing frameworks:

Doubling the international marketing fund for Israel from NIS 5 to 10
million through the end of 2014.

Allocating NIS 10 million for the marketing fund for 2014-2015

Reduction of 25% for tourism industry representatives in the cost of
participating in the Israel Tourism Ministry stand at tourism exhibitions
during the winter season 2014-2015

In his letter to Marom, Halevi noted that "in keeping with the developments
in the field and the industry needs, we will investigate additional tools,
as well as possible changes and adaptations to existing ones, in order to
assist as much as we can. I believe that these immediate measures will help
incoming tour operators deal with the crisis, reduce the levels of
uncertainty and facilitate increased marketing activity that will, at the
end of the day, lead to a recovery in the numbers of incoming tourists after
Operation Protective Edge and a swift return to record tourism numbers."

Lydia Weitzman
Foreign Press Adviser to the Ministry of Tourism
israeltourismministry@gmail.com