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Destination Israel

Groupon and the Israeli Tourism Ministry are marketing cheap vacation packages to Israel

by
Hannah Vaitsblit
October 21, 2015
Ilia Yefimovich/Getty Images
The scene at a beach in Tel Aviv, Israel, August 5, 2015. Ilia Yefimovich/Getty Images
Ilia Yefimovich/Getty Images
The scene at a beach in Tel Aviv, Israel, August 5, 2015. Ilia Yefimovich/Getty Images

A Groupon in Israel offered a $64 steal on a stab-proof vest (it flopped). Now there’s a deal up for grabs that’s a little less ominous: wicked cheap, all-inclusive vacations in Jerusalem, Tel Aviv, or the Sea of Galilee, in an attempt to encourage tourism amid ongoing conflict in the region.

According to a Ynet, the Israeli Tourism Ministry has partnered with the trendy bargain-boasting e-commerce service Groupon to offer week-long vacations—airfare, lodging, food, and tours included—for just $990-$1,400. The campaign, funneled through Groupon Getaways, began Tuesday and continues for the next two weeks.

Tourism Minister Yariv Levin said Monday that the goal of the unique campaign was to project a sense of business as usual and encourage tourism during the months when hotel occupancies in Israel are low… Minister Levin added that while the ministry usually halts all its campaigns during times of crisis, he decided to proceed as usual.



“The continued marketing activity is aimed at preserving incoming tourism and creating a faster exit route once the security problem is behind us,” he said. “So far, it has been proving itself. There have hardly been any cancellations so far, and despite the slowdown in reservations, we are not witnessing a terrible crisis or something people should change their habits for.”

In fact, this year looks to be the most promising for American travel to Israel, with an estimated 700,000 tourists coming to, and returning from, the Holy Land. So open up your apps, and check your browsers to see if you are one of the lucky 30 million American household to whom this campaign is being marketed.

You can find the deal, which expires on November 2, here.

Hannah Vaitsblit is an intern at Tablet.