Friday, February 21,1969
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Israel really is: becoming the land of splendor and leisure, vacationland of the free world, Tourism Minister Moshe Kol told the Canadian Jewish News editor during an interview at the offices of Development and Tourism in Jerusalem.
In 1967, the Hon. Moshe told our Editor, Israel had 291,000 visitors; in 1968, despite provocations, the figure rose to 425,000 tourists. The most interesting fact is that approximately sixty per r
cent of all visitors are non-Jews. ■■;
Ninety-six percent of all tourists have expressed satisfaction with wonderful accommodations in Israel.
Hotels are rising overnight; they all are fulU New hotels are being planned.
Tourists from Ganada doubled last year — from about 7-1/2 thousand inl967 to r,d00 in 1968. . Mr. Gidedh Pplicar,director of the Israeli Government
Tourist Office in CanadsL cojnpared with $85-$87 mil- New tours include the Si- haria in the northern part of
waspJ:aisedbyhissuperiorslio"'^or citrus. nai tour with air trip from Israel are said to rival the
in the Israeli capital for the This year there is a bud- , Tel Aviv and a bus tour or Blue Grotto in Capri, Up to
recent rise in tourism from get of $9-1/2 miUion for combined air-bus tour, be- how these could be entered
Ganada especially non-Jew- more tourist development in ginning, in April, with a visit by swimmers only; now a
IN CONCURRENCE.-A'group of leadtrig Jewish community member in discussion with Mi -de. Shallt, Director General of the Ministry of Tourism, when he was In Toronto recently: (left to right) partly, hidden, Melamet Y. Ofer, New York; M. Koffler, Toronto; Alderman D., Rotenber% Toronto; M. de Shalit; His Worship, Mayor Dennison of Tor ronto.
ish visitors influx.
According to Minister Moshe Kbl, the Government of Israel is ready to contribute financially towards-those building new hotels. Israel is a country that has more to offer to the tourist in every season than most countries: slope skiing on the SHOW covered Mt^ Hermon; water skiing in Eilat A special attraction for tourists is gulf excursions to the Gulf of Tiran.
Concerning the hotel situation, anoth:er I7p0^ro6ms.. Will :be^tt0fjs^^ iS'i hoped- that within the next few years 25,000 more will be built.
Last year tourism became : Israel's foremost forei^ currency earner, topping the export of citrus ftuits. Income for that period may be between $90-$95 million as
Israel. Hotel investment is encouraged especially with , tax advantages.
to St. Catherine's Monastery in the heart of the Sinai Desert. The grottos of Na-
SIGNING IN.-M. de Shalit is seen signing the guest book f^rl Tofbnto^s City >lall as Alderman: David Rotertberii (left) and Mayor William Dennison look on; > ,
cable train descends the cliff overlooking the Mediterranean. . . ^ -
Also doing well is tourist development in Eilat. Tilere are a winter resort^and new hotels. A tour from Eilat, which has a constant sea teiflperature, to Coral Isiland in the Red Sea can be made by car and boat or glass-bottomed boat Other projects include one on the Dead Sea 1,200 feet belowsealev-el, with a 25-mile drive to Arad which is 1,800 feet above sea level and close to ■"S Masada,. thetfamous fortress :-Whose defenders perished by their own hands rather than surrender to the Romans.
Developments are converting old Jaffa into a tourist attraction like Montniar-tre with restaurants, artist quarters and cafes providing entertainment
Canada Director of Israel Tourist Office: G I d e o n Pollcar.
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An agreement has been signed between the Israeli Ministry of Tourism and the Greek Office of Tourism to develop tourist relations and cooperation in the field of travel between Athens and Jerusalem, our correspondent reports from Tel Aviv..
The Greek Tourist Office and the Israeli Tourist Office will cooperate, in promoting tours from the United States and Canada, and from other Western countries so that travelers will be able to see the two cradles of our^ivilization: Athens and Jerusalem. ^The Israeli Minister of Tourism, the Hon. Moshe Kol, has expressed satisfaction over this new development in a statement to The Canadian Jewish News, This is the first time such agreement on government level has been signed by Israet The official ceremony took place last week in Athens. Signators were: JohnMacri-yiannis-Maltezes of the Greek Tourist Office; Ya-acov Caroz, Israel's diplomatic representative.
Olympic Airways, one of the most popular airlines with travelers to Israel,'will cooperate, with the Gteek Tourist Office in organizing tours passing via Athens, Istanbul and Jerusalem/
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On April 2nd, Olympic Airways begins its new.nonstop service from Montreal to Athens. (The only non-stop to A&ens.) Every Wednesday and Simday night at IftiSS. Then it's ort to Beirut,.Cairo, Tel Aviv, Nairobi, or Johannesburg. .
Every Olympic flight is a big happy Greek party.
You'll settle^ back and, have a cocktail-maybe some ouzoor refsina. ; You'll feast pn our sumptuous gourmet cuisine.
Then you'll probably switch on the stereo with its boimcingbouzouki* music. That's whert you have to be careful, Bouzbuki has a fuiiny effect on people. Without thinking, you'll start tapping your toes. Maybe sn<?pping your fihgers. Or waving your arms about. So far, so good.
But in all the cities where we've started new service, our passengers have taken us by surprise. So with our flights from Montrealwe're not taking any chances. We're asking you now. Plecise. No dancing
*At no 800 Dorchester
inal charge per I ATA regulations. See your travel agent or caU Olympic Airways,
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West, Mbntroal (514) 878-9691. In Toronto call Olylmpic at 74 Victoria St. (416) 363-7012.
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