Published on : Monday, January 28, 2019
In 2015, the number of Chinese tourists to Israel was a little bit more than 30,000, while in 2017 and 2018, over 100,000 tourists from China visited Israel.
Among the top reasons for increase of Chinese tourists to Israel is the introduction of direct flights between the two countries.
There are currently direct flights from Shanghai, Beijing, Guangzhou, Chengdu, and Hong Kong to Tel Aviv, with more direct flights expected to be launched this year.
Israel has also launched visa centers in Beijing, Shanghai, and Guangzhou, and one more would be opened in Chengdu. The centers would promote and expand Chinese tourism to Israel.
The Israeli Ministry of Tourism opened its second representative office in Guangzhou, while the first office is operating in Beijing.
The ministry stated that according to the UNWTO, Chinese tourists are by far the top spenders.
The Israeli ministry has taken steps to make the Chinese tourists feel more convenient, such as bringing Chinese celebrity chefs to give cooking courses. Moreover, Israel has increased the number of Chinese-speaking tour guides, launched a Chinese-language website, and provided signage, maps, and other materials in Chinese, at major tourist sites.
Israel will also launch WeChat and Alipay to facilitate the payment with digital access for the Chinese tourists.
Tags: Chinese tourists