The Eilat Port Company Ltd reports an unprecedented wave of cruise ships docking at Eilat Port, each one of which carries thousands of tourists who stop off at Eilat and spend a day touring the city, the Hebrew-language business website talniri.co.il reports.
The cruise companies initially announced that the line bringing tourists to Eilat would operate until the end of 2011, but in light of the success of the visits in November 2010, it has been decided to continue running the regular cruise line until 2013. This means that tens of thousands of tourists will visit Eilat over the next three years, each of whom spends an estimated $200 while in the city.
Eilat Port Company CEO Yair Hazan said that “The quality of service [the Eilat Port] gives is expressed in the cruise lines’ decision to continue docking at Eilat. We are talking about an unprecedented wave of visits that will be a great boon for tourism in Israel in general and in the Eilat area in particular.”
According to current projections, by the end of 2013 more than 200 cruise ships are scheduled to dock at Eilat – more than two a week for three years – and each ship carries over 1,000 tourists.
“Since these are vacationers who come to have a good time and not pilgrims, every tourist spends about $200 while in Israel and in Eilat. That is a potential $150-200 million, definitely not insignificant revenue for the businesses and tourist attractions in and around Eilat,” Hazan noted.
“The Eilat Port Company has invested a great deal to ensure that the port can provide the best conditions for tourists and tourist agents. I call on Eilat residents and all the relevant bodies to welcome the tourists and give their stay in Israel a good feeling. It’s important to us, it’s important for Eilat and it’s important for the state of Israel.”
Source: Israeli Diamond (http://www.israelidiamond.co.il/english/News.aspx?boneId=918&objid=8483)
