B'Yachad's tourism plan will revitalize tourism in Israel - both domestic and inbound tourism. We will establish a "green track" to fast track the approval of 3- and 4-star hotels, cutting the process down to just 18 months. We will shift industry management from the central government to regional coalitions on the ground and focus development on the North, the Negev, and the Gaza Envelope, ensuring that every new hotel drives a thriving local economy. Our formula is clear: increased supply, reduced bureaucracy, and greater local empowerment equal genuine competition and affordable prices.
What's the problem?
Israel possesses tremendous, unique assets: Jerusalem, the Dead Sea, the Kinneret, the Galilee, and the Negev. It offers a rare combination of sites sacred to three religions, alongside history, nature, beaches, culture, culinary experiences, and innovation. Yet, the tourism sector is far from realizing its full potential.
While the war dealt a severe blow to tourism, long-standing issues such as high costs, a shortage of hotel rooms, and planning barriers will hinder recovery and growth.
Hotels form the basic foundation of any tourism destination: without available beds, it is impossible to extend the length of stays, accommodate tour groups, develop regional itineraries, or generate steady demand for local businesses.
Israel suffers from a severe shortage of 3- and 4-star (mid-range) hotel rooms and accommodations. This stems from high land costs, cumbersome planning and licensing procedures, and protracted bureaucracy that deters developers and stalls the development of hotels and tourism zones. These challenges are compounded by centralized governmental management, a lack of international marketing, and aviation capacity that fails to meet actual needs.
The result is clear: when supply is low, competition weakens and prices rise. Consequently, Israel becomes an expensive destination for international tourists and a vacation within the country becomes a heavy financial burden for Israeli families.
What's the solution?
Together, we will overhaul the tourism sector from the ground up, transforming it from an industry managed from crisis to crisis into a national engine of growth driven by clear targets, accountability, and results.
Our formula is simple: increased supply, reduced bureaucracy, and greater local empowerment. We will spearhead a genuine revolution by significantly expanding mid-range hotels and accommodations through a fast-track approval process, enabling construction to be completed within just 18 months. This down from the current five years.
We will focus development on the North, the Negev, and the Gaza Envelope, recognizing that every new hotel serves as an anchor that drives the entire regional economy. At the same time, we will empower local authorities to collaborate as independent tourism zones, expand air routes to and within Israel, and build a nationwide digital infrastructure for tourists.
Once there is a sufficient supply of affordably priced hotels, tourism will no longer be confined to existing hubs. It will spread across the country and flourish, generating immense revenue for businesses and local authorities as well as stable employment for families.
Decline in inbound tourists since 2019
The number of hotel rooms that Israel is short
The price Israel pays daily for the decline in inbound tourism
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How will we know we've succeeded?
Approval of a new hotel in 18 months
Cutting through the red tape: the approval process for hotel construction will be shortened from the current five years to a maximum of 18 months by centralizing all licensing authority in a single body.
Economic Growth in the Negev, North and Gaza Envelope
We will see new hotels springing up in outlying areas, generating dozens of local businesses such as restaurants, agricultural ventures, and attractions—along with high-quality jobs.
More tourists, more revenue
We will put the tourism industry back on a path of growth and significantly increase the number of tourists visiting Israel, as well as the revenue they generate for the economy - benefiting businesses, local authorities, and communities across the country.
Core elements of our plan
01
Cutting Red Tape and Boosting Hotel Supply
We will launch a national plan to significantly expand the number of hotel and guest rooms, focusing on 3- and 4-star hotels that offer excellent value at accessible prices for both Israeli and international tourists. We will create a “fast-track” process that consolidates planning, licensing, and land allocation under one roof with strict timelines, ensuring approvals are granted within 18 months (down from five years) and enabling new hotels to be built within three years.
02
Every hotel drives an entire region forward – building up local economies and rural tourism
We will focus hotel development on the North, the Negev, and the Gaza Envelope, recognizing that each hotel serves as an anchor generating immense demand for restaurants, attractions, wineries, commerce, and agriculture. At the same time, we will cut through the bureaucratic red tape and establish a single fast-track process for their opening to deliver on hotels as regional growth engines that help people earn a living, foster local entrepreneurship, and generate new jobs.
03
Decisions Made on the Ground: Decentralizing Authority from the Government to the Regions
Instead of centralized, top-down management, we will shift to regional management. We will divide Israel into six to eight tourism regions, establishing a strong coalition of local and regional authorities in each. This coalition will operate with a professional manager, a dedicated work plan, and its own growth targets. It will work directly with entrepreneurs to assess the local landscape and advance tailored infrastructure.
04
Transportation and Accessibility that Encourage Tourism
Transportation, convenient access routes, and an accessible environment are key to fostering tourism. Therefore, in collaboration with the Ministry of Transportation, we will integrate tourism needs into regional transportation plans, ensuring that the infrastructure itself is inviting to visitors. We will ensure tourism is accessible by making our top 100 heritage sites and 500 scenic and picnic spots accessible. We will also establish a mandatory standard for accessible rooms in every newly-constructed hotel.
05
Israeli TravelTech: Less regulation, more tools for tourists and entrepreneurs.
We will establish a multilingual platform enabling tourists to plan, book, navigate, and receive services all in one place. Alongside this, we will facilitate rapid industry pilot programs with streamlined regulation and utilize real-time data for decision-making.
06
International marketing that works and delivers results
We will move away from general public relations toward proactive, measurable marketing. We will focus budgets on the markets with the highest potential and measure success by the bottom line: actual bookings, overnight stays, and revenue for local businesses.
07
Cultivating a New Generation of Tourism Professionals
We will establish international training centers for hospitality, culinary arts, guest services management, entrepreneurship, and innovation. The program will also integrate professional training and job placement for discharged soldiers as well as retraining and continuing education. This will enable residents to study locally, get high-quality jobs, launch local businesses, and build their futures here.
