Jerusalem’s International Convention Center named top 10 in world
Over 500,000 visitors attended events at the center last year.
By DANIEL K. EISENBUDUpdated: FEBRUARY 21, 2017 02:41International Convention Center ( ICC ) in Jerusalem (photo credit: MICHAEL JACOBSON / WIKIMEDIA COMMONS)
Despite a burgeoning BDS movement and recent terrorism wave, Business Destinations Magazine named the Jerusalem International Convention Center (ICC), aka Binyenei Ha’uma, one of the top 10 conference destinations in the world and the leading center in the Middle East.“Since its establishment, the ICC has consistently earned the respect of customers from around the world,” the magazine wrote in its annual 2017 winter edition. “As Israel’s official representative convention center, the ICC is considered a national institution.”According to the magazine and website’s editors, the selection criteria included customer service; meeting business objectives; scope of activities; number of visitors in recent years; attractive geographical location; and potential for development.Noting that more than 500,000 visitors attended events at the center last year, ICC executive director Mira Altman welcomed the designation as a ringing endorsement from one of the most prestigious business journals.“This is great news and shows the enormous potential of the ICC in Jerusalem to the world at large,” she said on Monday. “This shows the enormous potential for international conferences in Jerusalem, and therefore [buttresses] the marketing efforts of the Tourism Ministry and Jerusalem Convention & Visitors Bureau to bring more conventions to the city.”Rounding out the top 10 are: Ireland’s Convention Center Dublin, Portugal’s Europarque, Finland’s Sibelius Hall, Florida’s Miami Beach Convention Center, Austria’s Kitzbühel Tourismus, South Africa’s Cape Town International Convention Center, Geneva’s Mandarin Oriental, Slovenia’s Bernardin Hotels and Hong Kong’s Convention and Exhibition Center.Altman, who is a former director- general of the Tourism Ministry and deputy chairwoman of Israel’s Hotel Association, said the ICC was created as part of Theodore Herzl’s vision to build a convention center to accommodate the Jewish people.“For more than six decades, the ICC has been an internationally recognized industry leader in hosting conferences,” she said. “Above all, we are committed to constant innovation: new initiatives, creative ideas, advanced equipment and the latest technology. The ICC is always changing with the times, leading the entire industry. That’s what we will continue to do as we go forward.”