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How Israel Is Courting Tourists from India and China
(JTA) Debra Kamin - Bollywood star Sonam Kapoor appeared on the cover of the June-July issue of Harper's Bazaar Bride, India, in front of the Old City of Jerusalem, one of a number of creative efforts to promote Israel as a destination for tourists from India and China. Kapoor came to Israel in May as a guest of the Israel Tourism Ministry. According to reports in the Indian media, she and her mother were so smitten by the country that they chose to stay longer than they intended. In August, the Israel Tourism Ministry kicked off a $1.5 million campaign in India, unveiling a symphony of television ads, print media endorsements and shout-outs on social media, as well as a dedicated website for Indian travelers to Israel. Two years earlier, the ministry courted Chinese visitors in a drive that began with celebrity endorsements and garnered nearly double the amount of Chinese visitors over the previous year.