Record-breaking tourism

A new all-time high for tourism to Israel was set in May 2013 with the arrival of 336,000 travelers from around the world, a 5 percent increase compared to the same period last year. Approximately 1.4 million tourists arrived in Israel between January and May 2013, a slight increase compared to the same period in 2012 and 7 percent more than 2011.

At the museums

A new exhibition showcasing a collection of black and white photos of Tel Aviv’s art and industrial scene taken in the 1940s by photographer Alfons Himmelreich is now on display at the Pressler Private Museum in Tel Aviv. The exhibition features a diverse selection of images highlighting Tel Aviv’s modern dance, architecture, textile and advertising industries taken by Himmelreich, who emigrated to Israel from Germany in the early 1900s, and is on display through 2014. For more information, go to www.facebook.com/preslerPrivateMuseum.

And in Jerusalem, the Israel Museum has a new exhibition, entitled “Color Gone Wild: Fauve and Expressionist Masterworks from the Merzbacher Collection” that is showing until November 2. The exhibition of this private collection will display paintings by world-renowned artists, including Georges Braque, André Derain, Alexej Jawlensky, Wassily Kandinsky, Karl Schmidt Rottluf, Henri Matisse and Maurice Vlaminck, among others. 

Take a spin

A massive Ferris wheel modeled after a similar structure in London will be erected in the Tel Aviv Port in April 2014. The new 263-foot-tall Ferris wheel will include 42 sealed and air-conditioned passenger capsules, including two VIP compartments offering open-air dining options, and feature multimedia video screens detailing the history of Tel Aviv’s original port, which now stands as one of the city›s most popular entertainment destinations for locals and travelers alike.

Read this

The Tel-Aviv-Jaffa Municipality now offers travelers complimentary rentals of more than 500 books in front of the city’s Metzizim Beach. The new beachside library, which is available through the summer, features books in more than five languages, including English, Arabic, French, Russian and Hebrew, and compliments the city’s 22 public libraries. 

Get connected

As part of an initiative led by the Jerusalem Development Authority, travelers to the Old City of Jerusalem can now tour the city’s historical, religious and cultural sites with new self-guided digital JerusaleMP3 walking tours. The digital tours come complete with maps and written explanations, enriching the touring experience through the Old City, including the Jewish Quarter, Via Dolorosa and Temple Mount, among other sites. The multimedia audio tours also feature video and can be operated from a smartphone or similar audio device, and are free for download. www.jerusalemp3.com

Another free app, GetTaxi, allows travelers to instantly order a cab, track its route and pay with credit card, has recently launched in Israel. The process takes less than 30 seconds and is available in Tel Aviv and Jerusalem. 

Travelers interested in Tel Aviv’s LGBT scene can download several new apps, including Tel Aviv Gay Vibe, offering information on special events, LGBT bars and clubs and restaurants; and TLV Scene, providing travelers with exclusive benefits and free entrance into top LGBT parties and clubs in Tel Aviv.

And lastly, the iKotel application allows travelers to view live webcams of Jerusalem’s Western Wall, or Kotel, prior to arriving in Israel. The iKotel app also offers virtual tours of the Western Wall Tunnels and tour options in Jerusalem, as well as a “Mizrach Compass,” allowing travelers to know the direction of Jerusalem from anywhere in the world.