Israel’s Ministry of Tourism is winding down an RFP process as it seeks to increase visits from Evangelicals from the U.S. and Canada to the Jewish state.

Israel
A Christian map of the Holy Land on the IMOT's website for evangelicals.
The tourism entity, which has five U.S. offices, is accepting proposals through July 3 for a five-year strategic plan to be developed on a $1.5M budget to encompass PR, some advertising, and lobbying and wooing of prominent Christian leaders, including so-called mega churches.

“We wish to see as many interviews for IMOT representatives and religious leaders as much as possible about traveling to Israel and experiences from past trips,” said the tourim entity, which has a website dedicated to Evangelical tourists.

Israel garnered nearly 700K tourists from North American in 2011, as many as 60% of them Christian, and the country wants to further tap the community and assist with communal or private trips to Israel.

Protestants are a key outreach demographic for the country as wants its strategic plan to address the different “Protestant streams and movements that have developed” in North America.

The country’s tourism advertising budget has run in the $3-4M range.

Following RFPs last year, IMOT retained incumbent firm Geoffrey Weill Associates in the U.S. and Hills Balfour in the U.K. for tourism PR. Israel has also looked to boost European PR efforts to position the country beyond the Palestinian conflict.

View the RFP (PDF).