Over the past four years, the number of tourists arriving in Israel has increased several times over. And those who have recently spent their vacation in the country could already appreciate the new luxury hotel complexes or small cozy hotels on the coasts of three seas.
Stas Misezhnikov, Israel's Minister of Tourism who took office in 2009, made a major contribution to the construction boom. At a press conference during the international tourism exhibition ITB-2013, Misezhnikov repeatedly spoke about one of the main tasks of his ministry – to reduce prices for tourists in Israel by 20%. To achieve this ambitious goal, the ministry actively supports the development of the hotel business, particularly the planning of new resort complexes. To make it easier to determine the level of an Israeli hotel, the usual European star classification – from one to five stars – will be reintroduced this year. It was abolished in Israel 15 years ago.
Misezhnikov also emphasized that in his country, over the past four years, more than 34,000 jobs have been created in this economic sector. 'These are families, entire clans that live off tourism. We have a formula: every 100,000 tourists create 4,000 new jobs in Israel and bring 400 million shekels, which is $100 million, into the state treasury. We live by this formula,' the minister commented. And he added: 'After all, among the circle of every person there is at least one who is looking for a job. We ran an online campaign in which we called on every Israeli to invite their acquaintances and friends from abroad to visit our country. We say, invite 36 people – and someone in your circle will get a job.'
One of the important components in trip planning is choosing an airline. This year, Israel concluded an 'Open Skies Agreement' with the European Union, which will subsequently significantly affect the reduction of airfare prices. Israel's largest airline, El Al, introduced a new product last year – Economy Class Plus, which has already proven itself positively, as evidenced by the high demand from passengers for tickets in the economy class plus category.
In the new economy class of the national Israeli airline El Al, passengers can expect more comfortable flight conditions. The distance between rows of seats has increased by 10 cm, a special footrest has been installed for organically comfortable body position, and the seat back can be reclined 33% further than usual. These seemingly small numbers become more appreciated by passengers the longer their flight.
Economy class plus is separated by a curtain from regular economy class, which has a beneficial effect on the quality of rest during the flight. Passengers also have an individual entertainment center at their disposal. For those who do not like to waste time, a comfortably organized workspace in the passenger seat provides an individual working environment.
On board, passengers in the new class are offered full service, complemented by a branded travel kit, as well as a pillow and blanket from business class. Every passenger who has booked a ticket with El Al can reserve a seat in the new economy class plus 24 hours before the flight.