PM Netanyahu's remarks at the start of the Cabinet meeting

mfa.gov.il

Image from article, with caption: PM Netanyahu at weekly Cabinet meeting

Excerpt:

[T]he Tourism Minister will brief us on the excellent state of tourism in Israel. A few months ago we welcomed the three millionth tourist, a woman from Romania . Today there are 3.6 million tourists. I hope that in the coming year we will pass the 4 million mark and this will be, of course, an important improvement.

The tourism market brings money into the State of Israel. It is like exports. It is an important part of our economy. It provides employment to various sectors of the population, which exports do not always do. Therefore, I also see this as important from a social perspective, as well as from an economic perspective. It is also important vis-à-vis our public diplomacy abroad. Tourists who come here leave with a much more positive attitude to the State of Israel and spread this around the world."