Bike Riding in Negev desert - one of many activities on offer in Israel (Image: Israeli Ministry of Tourism)[Missing Credit]
Suggesting where returning visitors might best spend their time on their next visit to Israel, he said: “Most people have been to Jerusalem and Tel Aviv, but visiting the desert is magical.
“It is quiet and pure and you can experience it in luxury.
“A lot of people who have even visited Israel several times still haven’t seen it because they come for too little time and focus on the famous sites instead.
“There are so many hotels and spas. You can even do yoga in the desert. The landscape makes you feel like you are on the moon.
“One hotel, the Beresheet, in Mitzpe Ramon in Israel's Negev desert, has a glass balcony which overlooks the enormous Ramon Crater.
“Walking on that balcony really does feel like you are walking on the moon.”
But Izhakov says that Jerusalem and Tel Aviv are still probably the first places to see for tourists making their first visit to Israel.
“The vibrancy of the markets in Jerusalem feel like a celebration of life,” he explained.
“And for young people, the nightlife in Tel Aviv never ends. It really does feel like a 24-hour city.”
He added that coming for a holiday also offers a respite from concerns over antisemitism in the diaspora for Jewish tourists, saying: “In Israel, you can walk around proudly wearing your kippah without any fear.”
An olive stall in the vibrant Carmel Market in Tel Aviv (Image: Israeli Minstry of Tourism)[Missing Credit]
Izhakov was speaking as the Israeli tourism industry is looking with renewed optimism towards the future, with 19 new hotels expected to have opened by the end of the year over the course of 2026.
It is hoped that the cost of flights, which has remained high due to lack of operating airlines, could begin to fall soon with an increasing number of routes between the two countries.
British Airways resumed London Heathrow to Tel Aviv on 25 October, having suspended the route at the end of February. Wizz Air now flies five times a week from Gatwick, while El Al has flown throughout.
Two Israeli carriers have added UK routes since October 2023 – Israir from Luton, since November 2024, and Arkia from London Stansted, since August 2025.
The UK Foreign Office lifted its advice against travel to Israel as a whole on June 3, 2026.
