10 December 2017 – The owners, CEOs and travel experts of nine major Israeli travel agencies explored the Philippines’ best islands in Palawan (El Nido) and Boracay during the Familiarization Tour organized by theDepartment of Tourism and the Philippine Embassy in Tel Avivfrom 24 November to 02 December 2017. The participating travel agencies were Ophir Tours, Diesenhaus Tours, Mona Tours Ltd., Ayala Travel and Tours Ltd., Alon Tours, Hidden World Ltd., Nazarene Tours, Smart Dive Travel and Sorento Tours. They were joined by Philippine Ambassador to Israel Neal Imperial and Mr. Francisco Lardizabal, Head of the DOT – Market Development Group.

The Familiarization Tour started with a glimpse of the history of the Philippines in a visit to the Walled City of Intramuros, the center of government, education and economy during the Spanish Colonial Period. The participants indulged the festive fusion of Spanish and global cuisine at Ilustrado, a Hispanic inspired restaurant that has hosted heads of state.

The highlight of the trip was the visit to the two best islands in the world as voted by Condé Nast Readers Travel Awards 2017 and Travel + Leisure 2017 Best World Islands -Boracay and El Nido, Palawan.

The participants were overwhelmed with the beauty and natural wonder of El Nido, Palawan. The combination of pristine beaches, steep karst cliffs of limestones anddense forests as backdrop, dive sites home to diverse marine life, rustic and romantic feel of the island makes El Nido a perfect getaway from the city life.

The best island in the world, Boracay, provided the participants with a complete experience of island fun with its white sand beaches, numerous sports and leisure activities, private and luxurious resorts, and bustling nightlife.

“Filipinos should be proud that the Philippines is home to the two best island groups in the world. El Nido, Palawan remains unspoiled and feels like paradise while Boracay showcases the vibrant side of Filipino beach life,” said Ambassador Neal Imperial.

“The Familiarization Tour aims to provide the Israeli tour operators with the full experience of what the Philippines can offer as a multi-destination in Asia, and provide them with relevant information on how to design their tour packages and tailor-made trips for the full satisfaction of their clients,” explainedMr. Lardizabal.

Diesenhaus Tours, a leader in the tourism industry in Israel, is set to establish its offices in the Philippines, seeing increasing interest in the country among Israeli travelers. Israel is the fastest growing tourism market of the Philippines last year, growing by 42%. It is also now the second largest market of the Philippines in the Middle East.– END-

The Familiarization Tour participants and Ambassador Neal Imperial enjoy the beauty and natural wonder of El Nido, Palawan.

The Familiarization Tour participants are joined by Ambassador Neal Imperial and DTI’s Head of Marketing Development Group, Mr. Kiko Lardizabal, explore the Big Lagoon in El Nido.