Israel’s Tourism Ministry has launched a country-wide iPhone tourism application, providing immediate and updated information on sites, tours, accommodation and events in Israel.
The new app, called iSrael, will find the user’s location and allow him or her to receive the relevant information, both in the immediate vicinity and in other areas in Israel.
With this application, the iPhone user will receive precise information, including maps, itineraries, and Augmented Reality, to direct him to the desired location. With the click of a button, he can also receive complete tailor-made information, including photos, on a variety of heritage sites, family entertainment, nature reserves, active leisure options, archaeology, museums and even the opportunity to build an individual tour.
The information will be updated as needed by the Tourism Ministry and the relevant tourism bodies. With cooperation with other tourism bodies, the information will also soon include public transportation, gas stations, hospitals, etc.
The iPhone user can also upload his own photographs and comments to sites such as Facebook and Twitter in real time.
After downloading the application free of charge from App Store, the user can access the application even when he is offline. Updates will only be available with internet connection, however.
Tourism Minister Stas Misezhnikov is proud of his ministry’s newest project: “The Tourism Ministry continues to lead the service revolution for the tourist and visitor to Israel with the use of advanced technology… This application joins the Tourism Ministry’s electronic marketing system, which includes the expansion of the website into different languages, activities in the social media, setting up forums, etc.”
The application, launched in English and Hebrew, will soon be translated into other languages, in keeping with the countries of incoming tourists: Russian, German, French and others.
The ministry will market the application in the coming months via the ministry's multi-language website, the tourism office at Ben Gurion International Airport, Jerusalem, Eilat and Nazareth and via the various tourism industry bodies throughout Israel and overseas.