13 DEC 2018: Despite residing in what is often dubbed a “dangerous neighbourhood,” Israeli tourism continues to grow – especially from Canada, where visitations are “going through the roof.” The interest in the Middle Eastern destination was reflected by a full house of agents at an Israel Government Tourist Office (IGTO) trade event held in Toronto Dec. 6, despite the distraction of the holiday season – both Hanukkah and Christmas – and a correspondingly chaotic location near Yorkdale mall in Toronto.

IGTO Canadian director Jerry Adler, who was joined by partners El Al Israel Airlines and Dan Hotels, told guests that Israel has topped the four million arrivals threshold this year, topping last year’s 3.6 million, and that Canadians alone would reach close to 100,000 visitors in 2018. Next year, forecasts are for another 10 to 20 percent growth.

“Is Israel safe? We all know that it is – otherwise we wouldn’t be selling it,” he stated.

Indeed, Israel is “an adventure, a curiosity, a bucket list destination, and for us in the trade it continues to grow with new channels to sell the product,” he added.

And while Israel is certainly a “spiritual destination” and a mainstay for faith-based travel of many denominations, there truly is “something for everyone,” he said, unveiling a new IGTO marketing video based on Jerusalem and Tel Aviv – in his words the Middle East’s version of London and Paris.

Jerusalem, he notes, is often considered “the centre of the planet,” and is Israel’s top destination – not just for the journeys of faith to popular religious sites, but also for the city’s “energy, excitement and, sometimes, tension.”

For its part, Tel Aviv is the nightlife capital of Israel and also boasts great dining and gastronomy.

But beyond the cities, there are great beaches, unique destinations like the Dead Sea (and its supporting wellness industry), adventure and eco options (including hiking and biking) in the desert and eight UNESCO world heritage sites, such as the rugged natural fortress (of biblical and Hollywood fame), Masada.

Further, Israel has been voted one of the world’s top 10 LGBTQ destinations, offers many varied day-trip options from cruise ships, and is a popular add-on to a European vacation (flights can take as little as three hours from the continent).

And there’s wine, birds, archaeology, markets, architecture (Tel Aviv, for example, boasts the second largest collection of Bauhaus buildings outside Germany, which will be celebrated amid the 100th anniversary of the movement in 2019) and much more.

Adler notes that Israel’s compact size makes the country ideal for exploring. “You can travel from Tel Aviv to Jerusalem in 50 minutes. You can’t even get across Toronto in 50 minutes,” he observes.

In the accommodation arena, visitors have options ranging from B&Bs to boutique and luxury hotels, as well as traditional Bedouin tents and kibbutzim.

One of the country’s leading hotel brands is Dan Hotels, whose VP of marketing and sales, Rafi Baeri, travelled from Israel to assure agents that the chain’s dozen hotels, which range from Israel’s grand dame, the King David, to the progressive Link Hotel Tel Aviv (recently voted one of the top 100 news hotels in the world and top five in the Middle East), were continually being improved and updated. More significantly, he broke the news that Dan had acquired Rimonim Hotels, which will add 10 properties to the company’s portfolio – many in areas of the country it doesn’t presently serve.

Baeri also revealed that the company’s Goldan 7 promotion, which offers discounts of up to 15 percent for guests staying seven nights or longer, has been enhanced to include multi-property stays, instead of just one.

Of course, getting to Israel is half the fun, and Adler noted that the country is well served both internationally and with direct service from Canada.

To that end, El Al general manager for Canada Dinah Kutner, noted that the airline will introduce Dreamliner 787 service in 2019, with the “new fabulous aircraft” taking off on Jan. 13. El Al flies between Toronto and Tel Aviv three times weekly and counts WestJet and Porter Airlines among its partners in this country.

Taken together, Israel is a remarkable destination that people will return from “and say it’s the best vacation they’ve ever had,” Adler enthused.

And even better still for the trade, he added, “They’ll keep coming back again and again and again.”