Israeli Tourism Ministry invests in upgrades ‘from Eilat to Mount Hermon’

The announcement comes as the tourism industry aims to reboot tourism after two years of war.

By Pesach Benson, TPS

The Ministry of Tourism approved funding for 58 public tourism infrastructure projects across Israel on Tuesday.

“The projects we have approved will enrich the tourism experience across the country and create new points of interest for visitors.

Improving the experience of both international tourists and Israeli visitors is an investment that strengthens the economy and solidifies Israel’s position as a leading destination,” Tourism Minister Haim Katz said.

The allocation of approximately NIS 174 million ($56.1 million) is part of a broader development plan totaling more than NIS 362 million ($116.7 million).

The nationwide initiative, described by the ministry as spanning “from Eilat to Mount Hermon,” is intended to expand and upgrade tourism sites throughout the country, with a significant focus on strengthening attractions in peripheral regions.

Roughly NIS 58 million ($18.7 million) of the approved funding will be directed toward projects in northern Israel.

According to the ministry, dozens of local authorities submitted requests for financial assistance to develop or upgrade tourism infrastructure within their jurisdictions.

The approved projects cover a wide range of initiatives, including heritage centers, promenades, parks, accessibility improvements, bicycle paths, laser and audiovisual installations, and new visitor attractions.

Among the major projects receiving funding are upgrades to Park HaTachana in Tel Aviv, the Port of Lights audiovisual show at the Port of Haifa, Bible Hill in Samaria, and the Pilgrimage Road in the City of David in Jerusalem.

Additional Jerusalem projects include development work at the Kishle site and Herod’s Palace, as well as the city’s Monument Illumination Project.

Other approved initiatives include the development of Ein Gev Port in the Jordan Valley, a sinkhole observation point at the Dead Sea, and a visitors’ center at the Regba Aqueduct near the northern city of Nahariya.

The plan also provides funding for a bicycle trail in the Mount Hermon foothills, illuminated walking paths in the Valley of Springs near Beit Shean, a Bedouin Heritage Garden in Rahat, and birdwatching and cycling facilities in Neot Smadar in the southern Arava region.

The ministry said it will also invest in tourism-related technological infrastructure, including visitor monitoring systems designed to measure the impact of tourism activity, as well as updated signage providing accessible tourist information through QR codes.

The announcement comes as the tourism industry aims to reboot tourism after two years of war.

In early February, Ministry Director General Michael Izhakov said Christian pilgrims, Evangelical travelers, and Jewish communities overseas could form the backbone of a gradual recovery, even as broader tourism remains constrained.

More than NIS 20 million ($6.5 million) has been allocated to a digital campaign intended to rebuild confidence and reintroduce Israel to audiences already inclined to visit, Izhakov said.

Before the Hamas-led attack of October 7, 2023, Israel had forecast a record 5.5 million visitors for that year, well above the 4.5 million recorded in 2019.

Instead, arrivals fell to about 3 million in 2023, then dropped sharply in 2024, when fewer than 1 million tourists visited. In 2025, the number climbed modestly to roughly 1.3 million.

“Tourism is a central growth engine and a source of national pride. Investment in infrastructure strengthens the visitor experience and encourages tourists from around the world to come,” Izhakov said.