After two nerve-wracking years of crisis, the most prominent figures in the Israeli tourism and aviation industry gathered last night (Tuesday) for Passport Group’s annual gala evening at Camilo – The Green House in Ramat Aviv.
Minister of Tourism Yoel Razvozov spoke at the gala, announcing his commitment to revive the Joint Marketing Forum spearheaded by the Ministry and key tourism industry figures. “It’s time to bring back the Forum, jointly headed by you as senior members of the industry and the Ministry of Tourism. So expect an invitation,” said the Minister.
Some of the key figures who graced the event with their presence are Ambassador Hans Docter of the Netherlands embassy in Israel; Avigal Soreq, CEO El AL; Yarom Vadish, General Manager Israel Branch; Dina Ben Tal, VP Commercial & Industry Affairs at EL AL; Shlomi Am Shalom, Chief of Staff and VP of Communications and Government Relations at El Al; Gadi Tepper, CEO Arkia; Oz Berlowitz, CEO Arkia International; Uri Sirkis, CEO Israir; Aron Mayberg, Head of Supervisory Board at Ukraine International Airlines; Alon Netah, Country Sales Director for Israel, Air France-KLM; Kobi Sussman, CEO of IATA Israel; Seda Sadi, Sales Manager at Turkish Airlines in Israel; Ofer Kisch, retired CEO, Lufthansa Group in Israel; Esty Herskowicz, Commercial Director Israel, Delta Air Lines; and Lior Levy, CEO of Tal Limousine.
Also present were President of the Hotel Association, Avi Nissenkorn and General Manager, Yael Danieli; Kobi Karni, Chairman of the Board, Israel Association of Travel Agencies and Consultants, and CEO, Tali Laufer; Yossi Fattal, CEO, Chamber of Organizers of Inbound Tourism; Ephraim Fortis, CEO of Open Sky; Yaakov Amsalem, CEO and owner of the Amsalem Tours; Sharon Alon, CEO of Africa Israel Hotels; Ziv Rosen, CEO of Gulliver; Izi Madem, CEO, Easy Travel; Eyal Kashdan, CEO, Flying Carpet; Oren Cohen Megur, VP of Marketing and Sales, Flying Carpet; Raanan Ben Basat, CEO, the Geographical Company; Gideon Thaler, CEO of Tal Aviation; Ophir Danai, CEO of Operan; Ofer Reinhardt, CEO, Maman Aviation; Erez Shmul, Chairman, Talma, and Iya Magen, CEO of Talma Shlomo; Yoav Karni, CEO of Signal Tours Group; Yigal Avni, CEO of Caminos; Boaz Yacobi, VP of Sales Shlomo SIXT; Dov Kalmann, representing the Tourism Ministries of Thailand, Rwanda and Poland; Anat Starik-Dahan, Deputy CEO at Jordache Hotel Group, Setai, Herbert Samuel & Orchid Hotels; Amit Levy, Sales Manager at El Al; Goldie Müller, Director General of the German Tourist Board in Israel and others.
At the height of the evening, Passport Group presented awards to three officials who worked tirelessly over the past two years to save the industry and return tens of thousands of tourism employees into the workforce during the pandemic.
Tali Laufer, CEO Israel Association of Travel Agencies and Consultants, for her part in battling with the government over employee rights and compensations.
Yossi Fattal, CEO of Chamber of Organizers of Inbound Tourism, was not afraid to express, without fear and with a lot of humor and sarcasm, what he thought of the country’s incompetence when it comes to inbound tourism.
Ganit Peleg, Chair of the Israel Tour Guides Association, for the fight waged by her association to assist fellow guides in their difficult time.
And last but not least, Ofer Kisch, retired CEO of Lufthansa Group in Israel, also received an award after an illustrious career and 32 years of key positions at the Lufthansa Aviation Group.
