Author Archives: Lee Saunders

TBEX 2017 in Jerusalem

Growth of pioneers

Travel Blog Exchange, or TBEX, is the world’s largest annual meeting for travel bloggers, writers, and social media editors in the travel industry.

Like one of its sponsors Dan Hotels, TBEX also started small, with an initial email sent to six friends. Today, it has grown to become the world’s largest travel community, attracting between 600 and 1,000 delegates from around the world.

Just last October for example, TBEX was a huge hit in Manila, Philippines (below), assisting the city with exposure of its rich culture.

TBEX in Manila, Philippines

Dan Hotels has also blazed the trail as the pioneer in Israel’s tourism and hospitality industry and will celebrate 70 years in service later in 2017.

From the 21-room guest house on the Tel Aviv seashore in 1947 (see below), the journey has brought Dan Hotels to almost 4,000 rooms in 14 hotels in seven cities, especially the country’s capital, Jerusalem.

“A bucket list destination for many people”
“Jerusalem was chosen as our first TBEX International destination because of its rich multi-cultural history,” says Patti Hosking, TBEX Vice President.

“Geographically in Asia, but more economically and culturally aligned with Europe, Jerusalem is one of those special destinations that defies classification and is best explained as International.

It’s a bucket list destination for many people, including bloggers, and we know that our attendees will find diverse experiences there.”

Cosmopolitan, multi-layered and surprising were just a handful of the adjectives used by bloggers to describe Jerusalem on a recent 3-day press trip exploring the Eternal City, ahead of TBEX 2017.

Here, they will discuss the topics they follow closely, such as luxury, art, culture, culinary and other market trends.

Many of these major travel bloggers will also stay at Dan Hotels, which will host speakers and VIPs of the event, online travel journalists, content creators, travel brands and other industry professionals, who have come to the conference to learn, network and do business.

TBEX attendees, 80% of whom are often under 40 years old, consider the conference a terrific way of socializing with other bloggers and getting to see the major attractions, all a stone’s throw from the Dan’s Hotels in Jerusalem.

From the group’s flagship hotel, the King David Jerusalem, bloggers and photographers have particularly unbeatable views of the Old City, which invites you to sample the energy of the vast cultural melting pot within the walls.

Strolling through the narrow alleyways, from one quarter to another, will reveal fascinating architecture as well as the many marvelous iconic landmarks of Judaism, Islam and Christianity, including the Western Wall, Temple Mount, Dome of the Rock, Church of the Holy Sepulcher, Via Dolorosa and more.

There is no better place to take in Jerusalem’s 4,000-year-old history than the Tower of David Museum, close to the Old City’s Jaffa Gate, while nearby Yemin Moshe is a lovely residential neighborhood, the first Jewish district built outside the Jerusalem walls in 1891.

In addition to the old, Jerusalem is teeming with a modernity, creativity and innovation that many first timers do not expect. Since 2012 the number of high-tech start-ups leapt threefold to 600 in an industry often associated with Tel Aviv.

In 2015, Time Magazine named Jerusalem one of the world’s fastest growing high-tech hubs and that vibrant energy is reflected also in the city’s culture, nightlife and dining scene. From the uber-chic Mamilla Mall and upscale German Colony neighborhood to the bustling hub that is First Station and the Downtown Triangle, Jerusalem has long since evolved into a world-class multicultural and cosmopolitan city.

Nowhere is this symbolized more than the famous Mahane Yehuda open-air market, the gourmet restaurants and bistros, which take food bloggers and journalists on a journey to tantalize their taste buds – just the tip of the iceberg in such a diverse city.

jerusalem view

Social media and trends

Interests will vary from blogger to blogger, journalist to journalist, but all will agree on the value of strong content, regular posts and being up to speed with digital trends. All feature highly on the radar for the serious travel professional.

The Dan Hotels too embraces new content as it expands its presence on social media, to adapt not merely with the times but remain ahead of them. An English and Hebrew Facebook page, a strong presence on Instagram and a popular blog are all part of efforts to generate relevant content for returning and new visitors to Israel and ensure that Dan Hotels remains, like TBEX, a pioneer in the industry.

TBEX International 2017 will be held on March 20-22nd, 2017, at the ICC Jerusalem International Convention Center, Jerusalem.

To save 15% using the promotion code TBEX2017, take full advantage of special TBEX rates at the Dan Boutique Jerusalem and the King David Jerusalem.

Bangalore, the Garden City of India, is Blooming

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Silicon Valley of India

Often referred to as the Silicon Valley of India, Bangalore is India’s third largest city at 11.5 million people and is the high-tech hub of India.

Like Israel, Bangalore is pivotal to the global high-tech sector but also from education and research to defense and local Kannada cinema, the city is rich with a variety of attractive industries and, as more multinationals set up corporate offices in Bangalore, it is a booming destination for business travelers.

International Society for Krishna Consciousness

For some time, local authorities in Bangalore have expanded their efforts to renew, renovate and revitalize the city in order to accommodate the needs of an ever-growing number of visitors.

The major suburb of Whitefield has been at the forefront of this revitalization as visitors look for the best hotels in Bangalore, as well as restaurants, pubs, nightlife and major tourist sights. This once quaint settlement became a modern and developed suburb following the IT boom of the 1990s.

On the fringes of the city, Whitefield is popular with business travelers and a comfortable base from which to explore the city. Whitefield will soon also be the location of the new, relaxed and informal Den Hotel Bangalore providing visitors with an oasis of calm, close to the many attractions in thriving Bangalore.

bangalore palace

Parks to Palaces

One such attraction is the well-known and stunning Lalbagh Botanical Gardens is widely considered one of the best urban botanical gardens around the world and houses India’s largest collection of tropical plants.

You can also take a stroll through the countless flowers, rare species, trees and shaded groves landscape of the city’s beautiful Cubbon Park, which is yet another perfect spot to unwind after a long day. If you are looking to calm your mind, body and soul, there is nowhere quite like the captivating architecture of the incomparably divine ISKCON Temple Bangalore while Bangalore Palace, reminiscent of European palaces of old, will keep you engrossed for hours with its fascinating history and artefacts and spacious gardens.

Hours will also roll by at the interactive and fascinating Visvesvaraya Industrial and Technological Museum, one of Bangalore’s best museums, making science and technology interesting, entertaining and accessible for the whole family.

queen victoria statue cubbon park

Food to Fun and Frolics

An intrinsic part of the local culture is the diverse mix of cuisines in Bangalore, from Asian to Middle Eastern, Mediterranean to American, and at all ends of the price spectrum for Israelis to choose from.

The popularity of Indian food in Israel was recently explored by the Dan Hotels when India’s most renowned chef, Sanjeev Kapoor visited. There are many fine dining restaurants in Bangalore, such as the well-known Raj Pavillion, which provides a sumptuous array of western and Indian dishes, while Southern Indian comfort food is available at Brahmin’s Coffee Bar, one of the many cafés in Bangalore, which provides mouthwatering local dishes. There is even food available for dogs in the city’s first dog café, TherPup, located in upscale Whitefield!

Among the liveliest areas in Bangalore is Commercial Street, considered a shopper’s paradise, selling jewelry to toys, art to clothes, and everything in between, and the plush UB City, seen as India’s first luxury mall and home to some of the finest pubs, private karaoke rooms and bars in Bangalore, such as the classy Skyee City Bar.

Located in the Central Business District, UB City provides one of the best and most astonishing looks of Bangalore at night as does the memorable High Ultra Lounge, a slick modern venue with sensational food, wonderful ambiance and postcard-perfect views of the city.

high ultra lounge bangalore

As Bangalore continues to flourish, industry experts believe record numbers of business travelers, families and tourists are on their way. Glorious news for Bangalore, indeed, and for the Den Hotel in Whitefield, Bangalore.

Beaches in Israel you won’t want to miss

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With a Mediterranean coastline of more than 200km, you would be forgiven for thinking life in Israel is like a day at the beach. This small country, no larger than Lake Michigan, has three seas of its own – the Med, the Dead and the Red – as well as the Sea of Galilee (officially a lake) and more than 100 official beaches to enjoy, not to mention other unofficial ones.

How do you know which one to choose? Here are a few beaches you won’t want to miss.

Pic Credit: Ilan Bar

If you want to relax quietly, taking in mesmerizing sunsets, you will do no better than Palmachim Beach, one of Israel’s best kept secrets. Lying south of the city of Rishon LeZion, this immaculate beach is embraced by low cliffs to the south and boasts terrific views of the Tel Aviv skyline, 12 miles to its north. Such is its beauty and unique biodiversity
that it was declared a Nature Reserve in 2016, officially protecting the site for the visits of future generations.

Visitors can enjoy sunbathing, swimming, picnicking, and, if you are adventurous, you can explore the hiking trails crisscrossing through the dunes and take photos of the ancient city of Yavne-Yam.

Pic Credit: Ilan Bar

Hiking trails are available at another of Israel’s most spectacular beaches, HaBonim Beach Nature Reserve. Located between Atlit and the ancient city of Caesarea, the short drive takes you through banana plantations on route to one of the country’s most beautiful and relatively secluded spots from which to enjoy the sand, sea and camping underneath the open sky.

There are two short nature trails allowing families to explore the reserve and capture terrific views of many rocky inlets and hills, rock formations, plant and wildlife.

You can find Dan Hotels near the beach here:

Hotels in Eilat
Hotels in Tel Aviv
Hotels in Haifa

Sandwiched between Haifa and Tel Aviv, and just 9km north of the city of Netanya, is Michmoret Beach, an oasis of tranquility. A thoroughly pleasant and relaxed spot, this beach offers watersports, including paddleboarding and kayaking clubs as well as a sea turtle rescue center.

Impressive sea turtle nesting sites and unusual plant life lie in the shadow of rocky crevices, all close to the remains of the biblical town of Akhziv. These are among the many delights on offer to visitors of Akhziv National Park, declared as such almost 50 years ago. Located in the north, between Rosh Hanikra and Nahariya, Akhziv offers lagoons and sea-pools to swim in, while, on dry land, there is an old fishing village to explore as well as Crusader buildings which have been conserved. You can even join the local fishermen casting their nets until sunset.

If it is a variety of fish and wildlife you are after, you can do no better than Coral Beach Nature Reserve in Eilat. Extending 1,200 meters and under the sea off the coast of Eilat, this beach is one of the most beautiful and most famous due to the amazing coral reef, one of the northernmost in the world and the only one of its kind in Israel.

A short cab ride away from the Dan Eilat Hotel, Coral Beach offers visitors the chance to be immersed in a world of stunning multicolor and experience diving into mazes and canyons teeming with fish. Whether you Find Dory or not, you will swim in shallow warm water hosting 270 types of coral and an underwater jungle of over 2,500 species of underwater life – a kaleidoscope of colors that is hard to match anywhere else in the world.

Check out some of the best things to do in Eilat >>

In addition to snorkeling and diving, there is the increasingly fashionable sport of Stand Up Paddleboard (SUP), which has been a growing trend, popular with all ages and a healthy exercise for all the family to enjoy. Equipment and training courses are on offer at the long-established Surf Center on Coral Beach.

From sunrise to sunset, Tel Aviv’s always-active beaches are often considered by many the jewel in Israel’s shimmering crown. The entire western side of the city boasts one long shoreline of more than a dozen beaches playing center stage to joggers, cyclists, swimmers, surfers and people watchers. There is capoeira, volleyball at Gordon, a family-friendly atmosphere at Metzitzim and big waves for the surfers at the extremely chilled Jaffa Beach.

Apart from the sound of ‘tac’ by players of matkot (or Israeli paddleball), the city’s clean and tidy beaches are ranked among the best in terms of environmentally friendliness and continue to attract tens of thousands of tourists every year.

Pic Credit: Ilan Bar

As long as the promenade is in Tel Aviv, Haifa also boasts a long boardwalk with Dado Beach at the heart of it. Easily accessible by public transport, Dado Beach is ideal for a lazy stroll down its promenade, which is known for seafood and fish restaurants, cafes and many eateries. From skateboarders to local folk dancing, the beach combines the modern with the traditional nature of Israeli life.

Whatever your choice of beach, pack extra sunscreen and take your camera. They are all not to miss.

Israel Celebrates New Bronze Age

Dan hotels for athletes

Dan Hotels Israel is widely considered a ‘home away from home’ for the athletes and share the values that no effort is too great and no obstacle is too high to achieve what you want to achieve. As a longstanding supporter of the Israeli Paralympic Committee for more than a decade, the Dan hotels provide team building activities, conferences, lectures, meeting rooms, accommodation and other facilities, which allows the team to plan, train and concentrate their efforts effectively to get the maximum results on the world stage. From the moment Israeli President Reuven Rivlin wished them luck before the Games at the Dan Jerusalem to the moment they returned proudly, with broad smiles and shiny medals, Dan Hotels has shared the Israeli public’s pride in them.

Check out more of Dan hotels:

Hotels in Tel Aviv >>
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Hotels in Haifa >>

“We would like to sincerely thank Dan Hotels for all their assistance and support to our athletes throughout all the preparations for the Games over the past four years. As Paralympic Sport continues to become ever more professional, and rightly so, the challenges of competing as a small country in such a global arena are immense. Without the complete support shown by the Dan, winning three medals could only have been a dream,” said Leah Schneider, Spokesperson for the Israel Paralympic Committee. Upon returning from the Games in Rio, Moran, Doron and Inbal celebrated their bronze medals with their families during a luncheon and a stay at the Dan Tel Aviv Hotel.

Now, all eyes shift to the next sporting extravaganza – the 20th Maccabiah Games, which will take place in Israel in July 2017. By the end of the last Maccabiah Games in 2013, the closing ceremony of which was held in the Dan Caesarea, 9,000 athletes had competed on behalf of 78 countries, making that event the third largest international sporting event in the world after the Olympics and Pan American Games. Let those athletes draw on the commitment shown by the Olympic and Paralympic athletes to inspire even more success next summer.

The ties that bind: Israel and Australia

Book now your next vacation in Dan Hotels:

Tel aviv hotels >>
Haifa hotels >>
Dan Accadia Herzliya Hotel >>

A few minutes’ drive from the beaches and downtown Tel Aviv is Yarkon Park, which stretches for hundreds of acres along the tranquil Yarkon River and welcomes approximately 16 million visits annually. Home to one of Israel’s largest water parks, a bird sanctuary and a petting zoo, the park is also popular for the much-loved Aussie pastime, the barbecue.

It is also a major draw for concerts, attracting increasing numbers of Australian singers and bands who choose to make Israel a key destination on their tours. Born in Adelaide, global sensation and singer-songwriter Sia performed in Tel Aviv in August. Australian band Air Supply will be back in Israel in November and performing to crowds in Tel Aviv, Haifa and Beersheba. The Aussie indigenous physical theater company Djuki Mala came to Tel Aviv in the summer, serving up an energetic performance fusing hip hop, contemporary and Bollywood dance styles. Australian film-makers also enjoy coming to Israel frequently. The Cinemateques of Tel Aviv, Jerusalem and Haifa showcased a number of movies at the 12th Australian Film Festival in February.

The spirit of friendship, or ‘mateship,’ is strong in both Israel and Australia. To highlight the relationship, the Australian Embassy in Israel has planned the ‘Ozraeli Gala’, a colorful and light-hearted celebration of friendship on 26 September at the Peres Peace Center in Jaffa. The event brings together Australian singers, Australian comedians, Australian music, and of course Australian food, beverages and decorations.

The ties between the two countries blossoms in many other areas too, such as technology and innovation, for example. In December 2015 the Australian government announced that Tel Aviv would be one of just two destinations chosen to host a start-up high-tech incubator, aimed at boosting its start-up expertise and making Australia a leader in the field of new technologies. This incubator, called the Landing Pad, will provide a base for Australian entrepreneurs, investors, and others coming to Israel to use the office spaces and services to establish connections on the ground. Australian Ambassador to Israel Dave Sharma said: “The decision reflects the importance that Australia ascribes to Tel Aviv as the world’s start-up capital alongside Silicon Valley.”

As the two countries celebrate a relationship as warm as an October evening in Tel Aviv, Benjamin Netanyahu accepted the Australian Foreign Minister’s invitation to make an official visit to Australia in 2017, and, in doing so, he will become the first sitting Israeli Prime Minister to visit in an official capacity.

Let the ties continue to grow! Maybe Netanyahu will even hug a koala bear! Cheers!