Page 34-The Canadian Jewish News, Thursday, July 23, 1992
Travel
^40 years of service^
By LEN BUTCHER -
There is a sayinglhat "All good things must come to an end," and so it will be August 10 when Yehuda Shen, director of Canada for the Israel Government Tourist Office, says "I'hitraot" to the many friends he has made during his four-year stay here.
To say that he has made a difference would be an understatement. The increased number of people traveling to Israel speaks for itself and is a testimonial to his hard work and dedication. But more than that, he has created an excitement about Israel among Jews and Christians that hasn't been seen before.
In my columns, I've often, only part-jokingly, referred to him as Yehuda "Israel is my life" Shen. But in many ways it is. He is a man driven by a love for his country and wants the world to share in that love. Some of my favorite times were meeting Yehuda for breakfast at United Bakers where he would twist my arm to give his product more coverage. When I told him I talked about Israel every week, his answer was, "Then you should publish twice a week."
A few days ago we met again for probably our last breakfast together in Canada and a contemplative Yehuda talked about the past four years.
"I am singing the blues," he said, "but with lots of happiness. I have spent four great years in a country which I learned to love after traveling almost half a million kilometers by plane and car and visiting every Canadian city with a population of more than 25,000."
Yehuda Shen
That wasn't how he felt when he first arrived in Toronto. In fact, he wanted to leave the next day. "I thougiit the city was under curfew," he said, laughing. But this obsessive consumer of the performing arts soon found that here was a city that could satisfy his needs and the Royal Alexander, Roy Thomson Hall, Pan-tages Theatre and O'Keefe Centre soon became his second homes.
Canada also presented a great challenge, he said, "the Canadian market is limited to 26 million people living in a gigantic area. To cross this country by plane takes twice as long as to cross Israel by bus."
Shen's plan was to be on the road a lot and make preseintations across the country, particularly to Christian leaders and then to their potential church groups. By doing this he managed to create a wide variety of exposure for the consumer. "I tried to create a demand for Israel and with the excellent help of The Canadian Jewish News, other media channels (consumer and trade magazines) and radio and television stations, 1 was able to do this." In fact, over the four years, Shen doubled the number of wholesalers and travel agents to handle Israel.
Shen said he always looked as a mitz-vah to promote and reinforce the national canier. El Al and that the co-operation between the El Al offices, headed by Yona Nechustan (vice-i»esident for Canada) and the IGTO on a daily basis were bodi meaningful and firuitful; "However, there is still a problem connected to the air link to Israel. The problem is that European carriers that fly to Israel from Canada have limits to their capacity^and
on the other hand, a Canadian carrier is not yet flying to Israel (Air Canada maintains the rights to that destination)."
"There are situations at times when packages from Los Angeles to Israel are cheaper than Toronto to Israel, which is amazing when you consider the distance from LA to Israel. There is, however, plenty to be happy about, says Shen. His successes wiUi Christian groups (Pen-tecostals and Roman Catholics) in the Maritimes, Ontario and Quebec, in conjunction with El Al, have paid off and he sees the Christian market right across Canada having great potential.
With the Jewish market, says Shen, "it's die same old story. There is this phenomena of Canadian Jews who prefer to open Uieir wallets and turn their backs and that we don't like. We're offering Israel, not a fundraiser. The percentage of Canadian Jews unveiling to Israel is higher than their American counterparts and for tfiis we are grateftil, but it's never enough because of the importance of tourism to Israel.
"I look at it like this. You are going to a place that enjoys great facilities, you support die Israeli economy and you have an identification wiUi Uie country. What more could you want? It's a question of postponing die beautiful beaches of Fort Lauderdale and Miami for a month. Especially now diat I will be back in Israel and will be able to greet everyone personally.
"I do want to thank, however, organizations like JNF, Hadassah-WIZO, Canadian Jewish Congress, B'nai Bridi and odiers for being active widi Israel. I really appreciate their support."
Shen said he also co-operated witii various tour operators in many kinds of activities towards the travel agents in marketing and advertising support. These included Shalom K Tours, Israni Canada, Just Tours, Exotic tours. Insight Tours and bUiers diat entered die market. "My policy toward bodi die wholesalers and die retail agents was to increase business That was Uie bottom line."
Shen is also pleased widi die recent introduction of Sunquest Vacations to Israeli. "Widi people like Sunquest now going to Israel we will probably see more packages to the Dead Sea, safaris and tours of die: Golan Heights which will attract more peq)le beyond die classic emotional segment of the market."
Shen still belieives, however, diat "in this part of the world, die ethnic and religious markets, especially the Christian pilgrimage, will always bie number one. But I beleive it can be combined, now more than ever before, with those people who are just looking for a fiin and interesting vacation."
Shen is also a great believer in joint efforts if it helps bodi partiesj "For instance, our office and the Greek Tourist Board here paved the way for a series of activities, including seminars, workshqK and meetings which have already paid off. Some previously Greece-only tour operators now mclude Israel. Even diough Greece is our competitor to the Mediterranean this has been a very successftil project."
Shen says he has always tried to be aggressive "widi my office when it comes to public relations and promotion."
He has been fortunate in having a top-notch staff and has nodiing but die high^ praise for Executive Administi^tor Ellen Melman and Etebbie Vadas, Public Relations. "I have great respect for diese two women and I pay homage to them.
"Most of the positive articles in die Canadian media, to a large extent, came firom our office. It's a never-ending job getting the positive nwssage across about Israel. Peq)le talk about us all the time but diey never tell the true story."
Shen said it was time to thank so many people. "I met so many Canadians, both Jewish and Christian, in all walks of life and learned a lot about the human land-sc^ here. The people have been very, very good. The job wasn't always easy, but tte people were always co-operative and went all die way m helpuig to get die message across. I will miss diem. It's been a phenomenal experience."
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