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Spring 2006 Meeting - Israel:
NEWS COVERAGEModernAgent:
American Tourism Society Succeeds in Israel
June 22, 2006
The American Tourism Society's (ATS) Conference, hosted by the Israel Ministry of Tourism, took place in Tel Aviv and Jerusalem May 22-26 and brought together in Israel, for the first time, the leaders of four major travel industry organizations: Kathryn Sudeikis, CTC, president & CEO, American Society of Travel Agents (ASTA); Robert Whitley, CTC, president, United States Tour Operators Association (USTOA); Vincent Wolfington, chairman, World Travel & Tourism Council (WTTC); and Louis D'Amore, president and founder, International Institute for Peace Through Tourism (IIPT). H.E. Itzhak Herzog, Israel's new minister for Tourism, greeted ATS delegates at the gala dinner hosted by American Express Company at the Dan Tel Aviv Hotel, May 24. Michael Stolowitzky, ATS president and CEO, said "this conference, our first ever in Israel, brought together in one room, to meet and do business, the leaders...(more)
President's
Letter - A Letter from Israel
May 25, 2006
By Mark Murphy
I've traveled to a number of different places in my travel trade publishing career, though certainly not as many as my colleague James Ruggia. At last count, James had visited more than 88 countries -- and as I'm writing this that number may have even gone up by one or two countries. This week my travels have taken me to the American Tourism Society (ATS) conference in Israel.
ATS, whose mission is to "bring the world together," has just unveiled a new website with a wealth of information designed exclusively for travel agents. Available at www.AmericanTourismSociety.org, it features information on the destinations that the group focuses on, including Eastern and Central Europe, the Baltic States, the Red Sea, and the Eastern Mediterranean. ATS's membership is composed of governments, tourism executives, tour operators, airlines, cruise lines, national tourist offices, hotel firms, retail travel agencies, and other special travel interests...(more)
Look Who's Talking - Arie Sommer, Tourism Commissioner-Israel Government Tourist Office
March 8, 2006
By James Ruggia
After several years in Israel, Arie Sommer, the Tourism Commissioner-North and South America for the Israel Government Tourist Office, is back in New York. Sommer headed the office between 1996 and 2001. He also has represented Israeli tourism in Atlanta, Houston and Los Angeles. Sommer returns to his New York post at a time when Israel believes it needs to restore mainstream tourism. In 2005, the country received about two million total visitors some 450,000 of them Americans. Israel's peak year in the U.S. was 1999, when some 550,000 Americans visited. We spoke with Sommer about Israel and its tourism plans for the U.S. market...(more)
Travel Daily News
 American Tourism Society conference in Israel gathers top tourism leaders
June 22, 2006 American Tourism Society’s (ATS) Conference, hosted by the Israel Ministry of Tourism, took place in Tel Aviv and Jerusalem, May 22-26, 2006 and brought together in Israel, for the first time, the leaders of four major travel industry organizations...(more)
ETurboNews
 Israel, really, who knew?
By Mel Webster | Special to eTN Last week the American Tourism Society (ATS) held their spring meeting in Israel with a strong delegation of United States outbound based tour operators gathering to caucus with inbound tour operators and a diverse line-up of local and international guests. It was this reporter’s first trip to Israel and not once was there a concern about my safety or security. Instead, it was an experience filled with warm hospitality without exception, and security precautions exercised professionally and unobtrusively.
This reporter did not have one bad meal, the food was superb. The sunshine was bright, the skies blue, the Mediterranean sea inviting, the sightseeing extraordinary, the people welcoming. You knew security was in place, I was glad it was there, but it was not an issue anywhere. Transportation Security Administration (TSA) personnel could learn from Israeli security teams in terms of doing a thorough job, with a minimum of fuss. Perhaps TSA should visit with El Al Israel Airlines to observe top notch security procedures deployed quickly, quietly and pleasantly...(more)
Travel Weekly Article:
 American Tourism Society confab touts tourism to Israel,
the Middle East
(05/29/2006)
By Eric Marx
TEL AVIV -- Israel, and much of the Middle East, is becoming a safer and more secure travel destination, according to the American Tourism Society, a destination marketing organization which last week staged a conference here for the first time.
The meeting brought together 100 American and Israeli tour operators, travel agents and hoteliers at the Dan Tel Aviv Hotel to promote Middle East tourism.
Organizers said they selected Tel Aviv to demonstrate Israel’s destination potential and its high level of security preparedness
... (more)
Travel Talk Radio:
 TRAVEL
TALK RADIO
May 21, 2006
Don Reynolds, Arie Sommer, Israel Commissioner for Tourism, North and South America. Listen to his interview
Click
here to listen (MP3 file) or Click
here to listen (WMA file)
For additional ATS Conference Coverage from Israel, review the
May 21st and
May 23rd shows.
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