Israel’s Tourism Ministry office in China held its first event for Chinese media figures and social media influencers in three years this month, part of an effort to rebuild ties with the country’s travel industry and promote Israel as a destination to Chinese tourists.
The event, held Aug. 13 in Chengdu, brought together 21 participants, primarily Chinese key opinion leaders, or KOLs, and content creators, along with media representatives.
The Tourism Ministry described the gathering as a significant step toward renewing ties with China’s tourism and media community following a three-year pause.
The event comes as Israel and China prepare to mark 35 years of diplomatic relations in 2027 and amid broader efforts by Israel’s Tourism Ministry to revive inbound tourism and reconnect with key overseas markets.
Promoting Israel beyond history and culture
The program focused on summer travel, nature and water sports, using presentations, images and activities to showcase what organizers described as Israel’s “four seas”: the Mediterranean Sea, Dead Sea, Red Sea and Sea of Galilee, known in Hebrew as the Kinneret.
The ministry used the four bodies of water to highlight the range of outdoor and nature-based tourism experiences available to visitors.
(Photo: Courtesy of the Tourism Ministry)
(Photo: Courtesy of the Tourism Ministry)
Participants were also briefed on recent developments in Israel’s tourism industry and the Tourism Ministry office’s plans for the Chinese market. The program included a kayaking activity, a question-and-answer session and an open discussion about Israel as a travel destination.
Ola Gurevich Lucas, director of the Israel Tourism Office in China, said the aim was not only to reconnect with Chinese media and influencers after the three-year hiatus but also to present a more current picture of Israel.
According to Lucas, Chinese audiences are generally familiar with Israel’s history and culture but had numerous questions about the country today, including what had changed, what was new and what travelers could experience during a visit.
She said the response was encouraging, with many participants telling her after the event that they had learned things about Israel they had not previously known.
‘Interest in Israel has not disappeared’
The Tourism Ministry said the Chengdu event was part of its continuing effort to renew relationships with influential figures in international markets and support the recovery of inbound tourism, which it described as an important contributor to Israel’s tourism industry, employment and ties between people in different countries.
(Photo: Courtesy of the Tourism Ministry)
(Photo: Courtesy of the Tourism Ministry)
“It was very heartwarming to see that, although traveling has become more challenging, the interest in Israel has not disappeared,” Lucas said.
She said many participants expressed a desire to travel to Israel when circumstances permit.
“There is still a lot of work ahead of us, but the deep and longstanding ties between Israel and China give me confidence that the connection between our people remains strong, and that we will once again welcome Chinese travelers to Israel,” she said.