BICOM

A leading British travel and tourism industrial body will open its annual conference at the Hilton Hotel in Tel Aviv today.

The The British Institute of Travel and Tourism (ITT) conference is held in a different venue each year and is an opportunity to showcase the host country as a tourist destination. The ITT annual conference was last held in Israel twenty two years ago in the Red Sea resort of Eilat. Around 350 delegates from all areas of the tourism industry will take part in the three-day conference.

ITT Chairman and Chief Executive Steven Freudmann said that the delegates will have an opportunity to see what a “great tourism product” Israel is. Although he commented that “Israel has huge challenges in attracting tourists,” he had visited in October “and have never felt safer”. He added: “One reason we are going there is to try to show that Israel is a massive opportunity, it’s safe and the quality is there.”

The conference is an opportunity to discuss industry issues. Speakers include former-Shadow Chancellor Ed Balls, Labour MP Mary Creagh and a number of senior leaders from the travel industry. Delegates will also have an opportunity to experience Israel as a destination with excursions to the Dead Sea, Ein Gedi and Jerusalem, in addition to events within Tel Aviv and Jaffa.

Director General of Israel’s Tourism Ministry Amir Halevi said that ITT’s decision to host its annual conference in Israel is “a very important opportunity to leverage the tourist potential of the British market, and I am happy that they chose Israel”. Israel’s Tourism Minister Yariv Levin also said: “This is a vote of confidence in Israel as a leading tourist destination.”

Meanwhile, UK Ambassador to Israel David Quarrey said: “The very fact that ITT is taking place in Tel Aviv serves as another example of the strengthening of ties between Britain and Israel and provides a great opportunity for collaboration.”