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The Israel Incoming Tour Operators Association has expressed its disappointment that the economic program of the Bank of Israel and the Ministry of Finance ignores the contribution of incoming tourism to growth and employment. 

Shmuel Marom and Ami Etgar, heads of the Israel Incoming Tour Operators Association, emphasized that the growth of incoming tourism to Israel since 2004 was one of the factors that had helped to stimulate economic growth and had provided a significant source of employment.

In a letter sent to Minister of Finance, Bar-On and to Governor of the Bank of Israel, Stanley Fischer, they indicated that in 2008, 400 thousand tourists visited Israel, an increase 25 percent on the previous year, and this added a billion dollars to the export figure as well as the addition of 20,000 jobs.  However as a result of the global economic crisis and the military operation in Gaza, this growth is expected to disappear, at least temporarily, in 2009, with a reduction of at least 25 to 30 percent and the potential loss of livelihood for up to 20,000 workers.

Marom and Etgar argue that the Ministry of Finance and the Bank of Israel have the tools to help boost tourism numbers, close to the levels of 2008. However the current economic programs completely ignore the contribution of incoming tourism, especially in the war against unemployment.  

They also called on the Coordination Bureau of the tourism industry to formulate policies on incoming tourism in order to help reduce unemployment and to encourage growth.