The Embassy of Israel has welcomed what it said was the increase in the number of Filipinos who discovered Israel in 2017.
According to the embassy, data from Israel’s Ministry of Tourism showed that around 23,500 Filipinos traveled to the country in 2017.
The figure is a 61 percent increase from the 14,600 visitors recorded in 2016.
Israel’s Ambassador Effie Ben Matityau expressed optimism that more Filipinos will travel to Israel this year.
“Israel is the promised land and the land of many promises which create the foundation for a steady growth in tourism. This year, we are celebrating the 60th anniversary of the friendship treaty between our two countries, and tourism stands as a strong pillar of our growing ties and people-to-people exchanges,” the ambassador said.
Hassan Madah, tourism director for India and the Philippines, noted that the 2017 tourism record exceeded their full-year target of 20,000 Filipino tourists traveling to Israel.
“…And we reached 23,500 – a 61 percent increase from 2016,” he said.
He attributed the increase to “added good connectivity flying from Manila to Israel via Turkish Airlines and Cathay Pacific..”
Madah also noted that the Tourism Office in Manila was “stepping up marketing efforts to encourage more Filipinos to travel to Israel this year.”
He said that Philippine passport holders could enjoy visa-free access to Israel up to 90 days.
