Verdi opera event in Masada to attract 3,000 tourists
Travel agency marketing event abroad reports ever growing waiting list for two shows of 'Nabucco' to be held in south Israel in June
The Eshet Tours travel agency reported Monday that more than 3,000 tourists from 14 countries are scheduled to visit Israel in June in order to see Verdi's opera "Nabucco" in the ancient site of Masada, produced by the Israeli Opera.
Sources at the travel agency, which won the tender to market the show aboard, estimated that the arrival of so many tourists will generate $5-7 million in revenue for the tourism industry.
The majority of travelers who intend on enjoying the Masada spectacle will be arriving from France, the United States and Canada. Visitors from Japan, South Africa and Brazil are also slated to visit Israel. Most of the tourists will be staying in the Dead Sea hotels.
Eshet Tours CEO Amnon Ben David noted that some of the travelers who will attend the Nabucco opera will also buy tickets for the Jessye Norman concert to be held at the same site.
"All of the spots are booked, and the waiting list keeps growing. Most of the tourists are not Jewish and will be visiting Israel for the first time."
He further added that the agency has marketed the event through over 50 travel agents around the world specializing in cultural tourism.
"It's the first time that a cultural event taking place in Israel is marketed so far in advance. The fact that the event was marketed abroad a year in advance greatly contributes to its success, as well as the extended support we are receiving from the Tourism Ministry, the Israeli opera, El Al and the Dead Sea Regional Enterprises Company," Ben David said.
