In our interview series, the goal is to hear from the conference industry in Jerusalem, allowing them to tell their story and their vision for the city as a conference destination.
As we continue to highlight the personalities of the Jerusalem conference industry, today, we have the honor of hosting Mr. Michael Weiss.
Michael is a serial entrepreneur based in Jerusalem. He's involved in many Jerusalem and tourism-related projects, including GoJerusalem a tourist facing portal, YallaBasta a culinary tour company, and one of the founding members of BiteMojo, a mobile app that provides the ultimate food discovery experience for travelers around the world. As an entrepreneur, Michael's daily efforts constantly focus on looking ahead to ensure that all of these ventures are providing a competitive value offering in the global dynamic market.
Which conferences hosted in Jerusalem, have made the most impact on your business?
The most impressive and influential conference for us in Jerusalem was TBEX. This conference, which in 3 brief days, was able to provide unprecedented press and digital coverage for Jerusalem as a city, and for the entire tourism industry. I believe that because of TBEX, there are many leading travel influencers, bloggers, and media that are spreading positive content about Jerusalem.
What makes Jerusalem such a unique conference destination? What allows this city to see such impressive growth as a potential host city?
Jerusalem is one of the cities that depicts a perfect mix of old and new, ancient and modern, a rich history and inspiring future. It is a city that allows many groups and cultures to live side-by-side. This unique tapestry of individuals, allows conference organizers that chooses to host their event in Jerusalem can trust that participants will experience a unique cultural program. While there are many cities with developed industries, many of these destinations are known for their beaches or amazing sunsets. Jerusalem is unique that within a 5-minute walk, visitors can walk through thousands of years of history and enjoy the newest technological innovations. I truly believe that Jerusalem leaves an indelible impression on its visitors.
Which awards or prizes have your businesses won recently?
Among the various entities that I am involved in, we’ve been awarded several prizes and recognition.
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The Technological Innovation Prize at the International Tourism Conference
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1st place in the category of Best Food Travel Technology in World Food Travel Association's Food Trekking Awards 2018!
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First Prize Local community challenge by Visa Europe’s EverywhereInitiative
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The prize for a Venture that Bridges between Tourists and Locals
Why Value does Your Business Offer to Potential Conferences Hosted in Jerusalem?
I believe that BiteMojo, the self-guided culinary app, offers a comprehensive solution for conference organizers. In many ways, BiteMojo is the ideal complement to the busy schedule of a conference. Rather than trying to arrange many cultural programs and evening activities, BiteMojo can customize several itineraries that will enable conference participants to enjoy a unique way to experience Jerusalem, through its culinary narrative. The entire experience would be branded and customized to meet the needs of the conference, enabling a full solution for a true Jerusalem evening, all from the comfort of a mobile phone.
We are familiar and comfortable with building guided-tours and routes through the urban streets of the city that combine the flavor of the conference with the unique product offerings of Jerusalem.
