The Israel Ministry of Tourism (IMOT) signs a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) with the Outbound Tour Operators Association of India (OTOAI) to strengthen tourism cooperation, expand destination awareness and create new opportunities for engagement with India’s outbound travel trade.
The agreement was signed by Himanshu Kesari Patil, President of OTOAI, on behalf of the association, and Galit Hoffman, Consul, Tourism Affairs, India, representing the Israel Ministry of Tourism. The agreement marks the first time IMOT has signed an MoU with an Indian travel trade association, making it a significant development in tourism industry engagement between the two sides.
The partnership aims to encourage knowledge sharing, build stronger professional relationships and explore collaborative initiatives to promote Israel among Indian outbound travellers. It also creates a framework for closer interaction between the Israeli tourism sector and Indian tour operators, helping travel professionals gain a better understanding of the destination and its tourism offerings.
The MoU was signed alongside Israel Tourism’s roadshow at The St. Regis Mumbai. The event featured a destination presentation and video showcase highlighting Israel’s cultural heritage, attractions and varied travel experiences. It also brought together Indian travel agents, tour operators and tourism stakeholders, providing a platform for networking, exchanging destination information and exploring potential business opportunities.
The Mumbai event formed part of IMOT’s three-city roadshow across India, which also included New Delhi and Bengaluru. The initiative is designed to reconnect with the Indian travel trade, strengthen industry partnerships and encourage renewed interest in Israel as a destination.
For India’s outbound tourism sector, the agreement represents an opportunity to deepen engagement with an international tourism board through a formal industry partnership. By combining destination promotion with travel-trade knowledge exchange, the collaboration aims to support stronger industry connections and identify avenues for future cooperation.
The MoU also aligns with OTOAI’s efforts to build relationships with international tourism boards and destination partners, creating opportunities for its members to engage with global markets and develop their outbound tourism business.
