Eli Ziv, Managing Director of the Tel Aviv Hoteliers Association

How is the Tel Aviv hotel sector faring?

Eli Ziv - We already have 60 hotels in the Tel Aviv region, with 8,000 rooms, including 6,000 in the city, in all categories. Over the next three years, we plan to open 2,200 new rooms, including 1,000 in budget hotels, as the city currently has a shortage of two- and three-star rooms. In the higher categories, several projects are under way. A Crowne Plaza City Tower is due to open in November, and there are plans for a large luxury hotel on the seafront, as well as several smaller hotels.

How is Tel Aviv selling on the international market today?

E. Z. - Twelve years ago, we decided to present Tel Aviv as a major destination. We revised our marketing concept accordingly, highlighting the destination's new assets: firstly, the 'beach, sea and sun', with 310 days of sunshine a year; secondly, the vitality of a city that never sleeps; and thirdly, its central location, making it an excellent base from which to discover Israel.

How did the French market respond?

E. Z. - Given our limited resources, we initially decided to limit our marketing efforts to two markets: France and the UK. Four years ago, we also started publishing documentation in French. The response was spectacular: from 1995 to 2005, our record year, we went from 40,000 to 380,000 overnight stays by French travellers in Tel Aviv!