Israel isn’t letting a pandemic get in the way of marketing one of the most amazing destinations in the world.

The Israel Ministry of Tourism on Tuesday held its first-ever “Zoom In On Israel Event,” with Canadian agents and advisors tuning in to hear about great things happening in the country. They also heard from Israel’s industry partners, including Air Canada, Dan Tours, Travel Brands, Canadian Gateway/Aufgang, IBMT Tours, Diesenhaus, Nazarene Tours, Amiel, Kenes, Eshet, and Vered Hasharon.

Advisors were able to hear from Israel’s top travel industry professionals as they shared what’s new in Israel tourism and the diverse itineraries that they can arrange for their clients.

“Though this has been a tough year for the travel industry, we are working to come back even stronger with a newly reinforced interest in Israel and all it has to offer, and this event is helping us push forward to meet that goal,” said Gal Hana, IMOT’s Director and Consul for Canada. “Israel is one of the most diverse destinations there is, offering so much in one country; from some of the world’s top holy sites, historical landmarks and rich culture to incredible food, vibrant nightlife and magnificent beaches."

Agents took in presentations and participated in breakout sessions that will help them sell Israel once the country’s borders re-open for tourism.

“While we wait for the travel industry to recover, it’s important to be innovative and host events like this to continue educating future travellers of the wonders of Israel,” said Eyal Carlin, IMOT Tourism Commissioner for North America “Israel is the land of inspiration, and now more than ever, we all need to feel inspired.”

Hana said he loved that Canada was the first IMOT office abroad “to lead the way” with a virtual presentation for agents.

“Back in March when we were the first to close the borders everyone thought that we were exaggerating (the effects of COVID-19,” he said. “But we anticipated what is going to be next. Right now the high number of cases in Israel doesn’t necessarily represent a health crisis as the hospitals are far from their capacity.

“With the current lockdown I am confident that things will be better and the numbers will drop soon.”

Hana said he expects that tourists will return to Israel later this year and early in 2021.

“In regards of aviation, Air Canada currently flies three times a week from Toronto and we hope that by October ELAL will gradually resume its operations.

“The recent agreement with UAE is another strong sign of the business potential as well as tourist; people can visit both amazing places in one long haul … and tour operators keep calling to ask when their clients can go, as they are impatient.

"So, I am more optimistic than ever that we are close to restart the tourism industry," Hana said, "Or, as Churchill said, 'Now this is not the end. It is not even the beginning of the end. But it is, perhaps, the end of the beginning.'"