JCVB in the Media

 View the published version here.    Every brick in Jerusalem’s Old City tells a story that is thousands of years old. But these aren’t the only building blocks that have transformed Jerusalem into the vibrant city it is today. Modernity mixes with the holy city’s ancient past through institutions like The Hebrew University, the largest, oldest and most important international science research centre in the country—and one of the world’s top 100. Building on this academic backbone, Jerusalem has emerged as a hub for life science and biomedical companies, with a number of ground-breaking achievements attracting the attention of associations around the globe—and the government offering financial support for international conferences to get here. Lane Nieset writes (Boardroom Magazine).  "The Hebrew University is...

The longest inhabited city on the globe, Jerusalem, Israel’s capital, is not only a holy place for three of the world’s major religions, it’s also an evolving association destination, Lane Nieset writes (Boardroom Magazine).  *Two Millennia of Academic Heritage* Thanks to the presence of 17 academic institutions and cutting-edge research from the Hebrew University and Hadassah University Medical Center’s world-class labs, Jerusalem has emerged as a modern-day leading hub of academic knowledge. “In recent years, the university’s administration has made intense efforts to attract the best students, teachers and researchers, and to equip them with the best tools to succeed. In turn, our faculty and students have made world-class contributions in diverse fields, ranging from the arts...

The capital has ambitious plans to become a major tourist attraction. It wants to brand itself separately from the rest of Israel and lure independent travelers, but a lack of public transportation and hotel rooms need addressing first.

TBEX (Travel Blog Exchange), the largest conference and networking event for travel bloggers and online travel journalists, assembled in Jerusalem. More than 400 content writers and industry professionals from across the globe took part in the 2017 Travel Blog Exchange International conference. “Jerusalem was chosen as our first TBEX international destination because of its rich multicultural history,” said TBEX Vice President Patti Hosking. “Geographically in Asia, but more economically and culturally aligned with Europe, Jerusalem is one of those special destinations that defies classification and is best explained as international. It’s a bucket list destination for many people, including bloggers, and we know that our attendees will find diverse experiences there. We’re going to see...

While the moving of the US embassy to Jerusalem is so far just talk, the hope in Israel's capital for a revolution in the hotel industry is materializing, with the prospect of thousands more hotel rooms in the city. According to Jerusalem Development Authority figures, the city gained 1,700 more hotel rooms in 2015-2016, and 5,000 more will be added over the next five years - rooms that have already been approved and channeled to specific developers. The five-star hotels, including one belonging to the Waldorf Astoria international hotel chain, the American Colony Hotel, Hotel Yehuda, Mamilla Hotel, and Orient Hotel from the Isrotel Ltd. (TASE: ISRO) chain, have grabbed most of the...

City tourism head: Industry must continue "despite security concerns." Over seven years ago, when Jerusalem Mayor Nir Barkat was first elected, he sought to maximize the potential of a city that “had it all, but had nothing,” to become an international tourist destination, drawing 10 million visitors a year. However, with just over 3 million tourists visiting Israel as of last year, that vision remains out of reach. At The Jerusalem Post Diplomatic Conference on Wednesday, Ilanit Melchior, tourism director for the Jerusalem Development Authority, said Barkat’s vision, while challenging, is indeed viable. “Barkat knew the city had this potential of making it the most amazing, innovative international city, but for some reason, for many...

 View the published version here.   International tourism and conferences are significant contributors to economic growth and development. In fact the growth in the number of people attending events and meetings internationally has even outpaced national income growth in recent years. Even though travel and tourism industry are clear economic drivers, unfortunately they are not protected from the sinister impact of terrorism. In 2017, it seemed that almost every week another city around the world was at the center of a terrorism crisis or a natural disaster. This means that the issues of risk management, event and venue security, and crisis communication have never been more important to the industry. In the current tourism arena, facing...

 View the published version here.   Leaving a Space Legacy in Jerusalem   In the Old City of Jerusalem, there’s a saying that each stone holds a piece of history. Perhaps that’s because the city has a history spanning back thousands of years, from the time of the Judean kings and the Roman Empire through to the Islamic period and modern State of Israel. But while Jerusalem’s past is one draw, the city is looking to its dynamic institutions and research centres to build its future. Highly esteemed conferences in sectors like space are leaving a legacy that extend far beyond Jerusalem’s famed Western Wall, impacting the city and influencing others around the globe...

 View the published version here.   TWO MILLENNIA OF ACADEMIC HERITAGE Jerusalem is home to 17 academic institutions and has an academic heritage spanning back more than two millennia when King Solomon, “the wisest of all men,” built the Temple in the Holy City. Thanks to the help of cutting- edge research from the Hebrew University (ranked 23rd in the world) and Hadassah University Medical Center’s world-class labs, Jerusalem has emerged as a modern-day leading hub of academic knowledge, attracting thousands of academic leaders to global conferences in the past year alone. “In recent years, the university’s administration has made intense efforts to attract the best students, teachers and researchers, and to equip them with the best tools to succeed. In turn, our faculty and students have made world-class contributions...

 View the published version here.   Five Places to Go in Jerusalem Jerusalem’s city center has transformed into a vibrant scene, with youthful, often tattooed habitués offering a curious juxtaposition to the religious pilgrims roaming the Holy City. Machneyuda is a restaurant in Jerusalem's city center that embodies the boisterous spirit and flavors of contemporary Jerusalem.CreditCreditTzachi Ostrovsky for The New York Times By Amy Tara Koch Nov. 7, 2018 In the city center, just a 15-minute walk from the cobblestone alleys of the Old City of Jerusalem, trendy restaurants and boutiques — even coffee bars that double as late-night performance venues — have blossomed. Their youthful, often tattooed clientele offer a curious juxtaposition to the...