70 and Proud – The Tourists Keep Coming

“In Israel, in order to be a realist, you must believe in miracles,” said David Ben-Gurion, Israel’s first Prime Minister. Six months after the UN partition plan, on May 14th, 1948, Ben-Gurion finally read out Israel’s Declaration of Independence at an old art museum in Tel Aviv, composed in just 32 minutes, before the Sabbath came in. Israel was born in just over half an hour – a miracle itself in a nation of highly vocal and passionate souls!

The King David hotel in 1948

This year, – from the evening of April 18th-until the evening of the 19th – Israel celebrates a continuation of that miracle – its 70th birthday. During that time, there have been unprecedented challenges to overcome, but also phenomenal achievements in a country no bigger than the U.S. state of New Jersey, and with fewer people!

These achievements span many industries and many decades but are particularly eye-catching in the country’s vibrant tourism sector. Last year, Israel welcomed more tourists than ever before: around 3.6 million, a jump of 25% on 2016. And the Dan Hotels – last year celebrating its very own 70th birthday – has been there every step of the way.

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Indeed, it is no surprise that tourists’ appetite for Israel remains undiminished. Whether you come for the glorious beaches, the unrivalled history, lively nightlife or spectacular parks and desert, Israel continues to defy stereotypes and dazzle visitors. While the U.S., Russia and France dominate the arrivals, the appeal is widespread. LATAM Airlines recently announced direct flights between Israel and Brazil to start from this December, while Air India has already begun to operate direct flights between Tel Aviv and Delhi from March.
A new route from Shanghai has helped lead to a 46% increase in Chinese tourism since 2016. These airlines join the raft of others flying to Ben-Gurion airport, with 18 new routes opening up during the past year alone, and 50 weekly flights to the southern resort city of Eilat. This boom in air travel owes much to the Open Skies agreement that Israel signed with the European Union in 2012, opening up the domestic market to international competition.

Fireworks on Independence day

And on Independence Day, or Yom Ha’atzmaut, the skies above Israel’s Mediterranean coastline are open again – to low-flying fighter jets displaying their flying skills, as the traditional annual flyover takes place and turns heads. In the north, watch the spectacle from the equally spectacular Dan Carmel or Dan Panorama Haifa, while as the planes head further south, go down early to the beach in front of the Dan Accadia in Herzliya, the Dan Tel Aviv or Dan Panorama Tel Aviv. These are among the perfect spots to marvel at the impressive display of tricks by Apache helicopters and F-16s as they fly over the country’s golden beaches. The flyover heads from the very top of the country to the southern tip, with resort city of Eilat really getting into the spirit, nowhere more so than the Dan Eilat, which entertains guests with an impressive firework display on its own private beach.

It is an oddly surreal experience to be in Israel at this time, moving from the solemn and reflective occasion that is Yom Hazikaron, or Remembrance Day (April 17th) straight into -Yom Ha’atzmaut. From remembering fallen soldiers and victims of terror to celebrating life. Join the locals on Yom Ha’atzmaut as they flock to the beaches, national parks, hiking trails and beauty spots for barbecues and picnics, while the streets are filled with flags, foam and inflatable blue and white hammers.

Streets are filled with flags on Yom Haazmaut

It was on one of the main thoroughfares – Rothschild Boulevard – where, on May 14th, 1948, the State of Israel was born. With a treasure trove of illuminating facts, Independence Hall has become an iconic feature in the history of the country. With its high windows, thick walls and emergency exits, it was here – in this former art museum – that on Friday May 14th in 1948, days before the British left, that Ben-Gurion took 17 minutes to read out the landmark document, Israel’s Declaration of Independence, to a crowded hall and to audiences listening on radios around the world. Close to Independence Hall, a pop-up 10-minute movie about that day will bring a black and white past into a colorful present.

In the country’s 70th year, Independence Hall is earmarked as the last of 10 designated historical spots that make up the new and interactive ‘Independence Trail,’ a permanent attraction launched on April 19th by the Tel Aviv-Jaffa Municipality, the Ministry of Tourism and the Jerusalem Affairs and Heritage Ministry, which together invested almost $2.9 million in this exciting project. Starting at the site of the city’s first kiosk established in 1910- now unsurprisingly an espresso bar – the 1km trail engages you as it snakes through the iconic landmarks, linking you to the history of Tel Aviv and Israel from its earliest days.

David Ben-Gurion at Independence hall in Tel Aviv

Choose one of three types of tour – a self-guided tour via a mobile app or tablet; a classic guided tour; or an entertainment tour led by a guide in costume. In the self-guided tour, visitors receive an audio-visual explanation of what they are seeing, together with old photographs and archive footage. At night, the gold-colored trail will also be illuminated and can be followed via the mobile app. Tours will be in English and Hebrew with a map available in eight languages.

There are even more attractions planned for Tel Aviv shortly- including a Museum of Natural History, the Peres Center for Innovation, and a new museum founded by celebrity illusionist Uri Geller – as the city looks to pull in as many tourists as nearby Jerusalem.

Jerusalem celebrates Yom Ha’atzmaut in its own special way. Mount Herzl is the backdrop to a traditional annual ceremony when prominent Israelis, diaspora Jews and others take part in a televised ceremony involving performances, speeches, live bands and the lighting of 12 torches – symbolizing the 12 Tribes of Israel –to mark the occasion.

The same evening, on April 18th, there are festive prayers at the Western Wall, the Tower of David hosts a variety of live musical and theatrical performances, while street parties electrify Jaffa and Ben Yehuda streets. DJ booths keep revelers partying all night long at the must-see Machane Yehuda market, Israeli rock and groove artists perform in the city’s public spaces, and bands, such as Balkan Beat Box, will perform night concerts at Independence Park, remembering to visit the King David Jerusalem or Dan Panorama Jerusalem for stunning views of the fireworks dancing in the chilly skies above the Old City later that night.

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As dawn breaks, enjoy a special champagne breakfast in the morning, for example at the Dan Boutique Jerusalem, before heading out to enjoy the day and join the locals gathering in Teddy Park or at the Israel Museum, where local dance troupes put on traditional folk dancing to entertain the public. While Ben Gurion House in Tel Aviv offers a fascinating glimpse into the life of Israel’s first Prime Minister, you can also enjoy a free visit, on April 19th, of the Menachem Begin Heritage Center in Jerusalem, and learn about the life journey of the influential Menachem Begin, the sixth Prime Minister of Israel.

Independence hall Tel Aviv

Today, with four-fifths of all tourists not Jewish and two-fifths of guests visiting the country again, Israel has become a beacon for leisure and business travel from all over the world: for those seeking to learn, those seeking to appreciate and those seeking to enjoy what this small and diverse country has to offer. What better time to come than Yom Ha’atzmaut? And for that, they can be grateful to the leaders and pioneers that came before them. Aren’t you curious too?