Philippine Tourism Minister Joseph H. Durano is currently visiting Israel on his first ever visit with a view to strengthening the tourism ties between the two countries and to exchanging information on tourism matters, including tourism management during times of crisis and developing rural tourism. Minister Durano will meet Tuesday with Tourism Ministry Director-General Noaz Bar Nir and other senior ministry representatives who will brief him on the Israel tourism industry. Minister Durano will also visit several tourist sites around the country during his visit.
Bar Nir said in a press statement, "The Israeli tourism industry offers an example of how to cope successfully with and subsequently recover quickly from crisis situations." Bar Nir expressed his satisfaction in showing Durano how Israel has dealt with various crises during and after periods of fighting, including the compensation procedures offered to tourism industry representatives and entrepreneurs who have been affected, image and marketing campaigns during the global economic crisis and the development of rural tourism in various regions in Israel that are similar in characteristics to those in the Philippines.