Further to the initiative of the Tourism Ministry and with the support of the Population Authority, the Finance Ministry approved the cancellation of fees for tourist groups from China. Multiple entry visas for up to ten years will be issued for Chinese visitors visiting Israel and for Israelis visiting China. Until now, the visa was issued for just three months. These procedures are intended to remove significant obstacles that affect the growth of incoming tourism from China.

Extending the visa validity:

This mutual agreement signed between the Chinese and Israeli governments on March 29, 2016, allows Chinese and Israeli citizens to receive a multiple-entry, ten-year tourist visa with individual visits of up to 90 days. Other steps taken include reducing the amount of time that the Israeli tourist has to wait for a visa to no longer than three days and the ability to add the names of tourists to a Chinese tourist group during the day prior to their departure for Israel.

Cancellation of group visa fees

An investigation conducted with tour operators in China revealed that the payment of the NIS 35 visa fee per person traveling in an organized group to Israel, in addition to the handling fee that agents would sometimes have to pay to private operators representing them in Israel, was a significant bureaucratic and financial obstacle in organizing tourist groups from China to Israel. The cancellation of this fee will lead to an increase in the public coffers, given the expected increase in the numbers of tourists visiting Israel from China as a result. The Annual Inbound Tourism Survey from the Tourism Ministry shows that the average spend per tourist is the highest among the Chinese tourist during his stay in Israel ($1,947 per visit, as opposed to the average of $1,600).

Tourism Minister Yariv Levin has placed China as a central target for Tourism Ministry activities and is taking action to increase the numbers of incoming tourists from China. Among others, the minister increased the marketing budget and worked with Hainan Airlines, the largest private airline in China, in opening their direct scheduled route from Beijing to Ben-Gurion airport which began operating in April 2016. At the initiative of the Tourism Ministry, the hotel industry is adapting its product to meet the needs of the Chinese tourist. This included the recent hosting of Chinese chefs who gave culinary workshops to their counterparts in the Israeli hotel and restaurant industries. The ministry also initiated a course for tour guides in Chinese, and hosts Chinese opinion-formers in Israel.

Interior Minister Aryeh Deri noted that China is a significant target country and granting concessions should help strengthen bi-lateral relations in many different spheres. Removing bureaucratic obstacles from the path of the Chinese tourist represents a green light to increasing the numbers of tourists. Recently, restrictions were eased on Chinese diplomatic passport holders and now the tourist is the focus.

Background and statistics

The number of outbound tourists from China increases year on year. In 2014, this figure rose to 117 million tourists and rose to about 120 million in 2015. As a result of the continued growth in the income and status of the Chinese middle classes, the UNWTO expects the number of Chinese tourists to grow to about 200 million by 2020.

Most Chinese tourists travel close to home (2-4 hour flight distance) or to long distance destinations such as USA, Europe, Africa and the Middle East. Chinese tourists typically travel in organized groups and not as individual travelers (FITs.) Nonetheless there has been an increase in the number of young, well-educated and financially secure Chinese tourists traveling on their own.

The trend for incoming tourism to Israel from China is very encouraging, with a massive 43% increase in visitors in 2015 on 2014 (over 47,000) and 86% on 2013. This trend continued in the first half of 2016, with visitor entries from China rising 45% on 2015 and 82% on 2014. In June 2016 alone, the increase on the same month last year was 93%. The Tourism Ministry target for incoming tourism from China stands at 100,000 by 2018.

Tourism Minister Yariv Levin: “The approval of the ten-year multiple entry visa and the cancellation of fees for Chinese tourist groups are important steps that join other marketing steps to break into the Chinese market, spearheaded by the Tourism Ministry. I thank the Interior Minister Aryeh Deri for his contribution in leading this process and the Finance Minister Moshe Kahlon for approving these changes. The Tourism Ministry’s range of activities will lead to an increase in the number of tourists arriving in Israel from China and will contribute to realizing the tourism potential from this region.”

Interior Minister Aryeh Deri: “China is a most important country and we are working on a new track with the Chinese government. It is very important that as many tourists as possible visit Israel from China. These are procedures that will greatly assist both Israeli and Chinese tourism and will significantly contribute to bi-lateral relations and the economy of both countries.”

(YWN – Israel Desk, Jerusalem)