Lufthansa expects dramatic growth in tourists flying to Israel

Details released by the company Lufthansa point out a 120% growth in booking made by tourists for the year 2008, compared to 2007
 
Details released last week by Lufthansa, Europe's largest air carrier to Israel, pointed at 120% growth in booking made by tourists for the year 2008, compared to 2007. The details were released by Ofer Kish, director of Lufthansa Israel, at the opening of the ITB travel industry exhibition in Berlin.
 
Kish noted that due to the increase in demand the company decided to reintroduce flights from Munich.
 
Lufthansa operates at present 14 weekly wide-body jet flights from Frankfurt to Tel Aviv.
Shaul Zemach, secretary of state at the Tourism Ministry, said that Israel hopes to double the number of tourists visiting the Jewish state in the next five years.
 
"The year 2008 marks the 60th anniversary of the founding of the state of Israel and presents a good opportunity to set new targets," He told a press conference at the opening of the ITB travel industry exhibition in Berlin. He added that Israel hopes to attract 5 million visitors by 2012.
 
The ITB is the world's biggest exhibition for the tourism industry attracting more than 11,000 participants from 180 countries and regions.