Profile of Israeli tourists visiting India is changing: Envoy

Panaji: The profile of Israeli tourists visiting India is changing and more families from the country are arriving here, Israel`s Mumbai Consul General David Akov said here on Saturday.

"The profile of the tourists visiting India is changing. Both the governments (India and Israel) are trying to make efforts," Akov told reporters on the sidelines of Israel Film Festival organised in Goa by Entertainment Society of Goa (ESG). He was responding to a question on the allegation that many Israelis were involved in illegal drug trade and creating their enclaves in Goa. "The changing profile of Israeli tourists will alter that impression. You have more families coming to India from Israel," he said, adding that 40,000 Israeli tourists visit the country annually. "And almost everyone from Israel visiting India, comes to Goa," he said, adding that Goa is very much known in Israel. Akov said that Israel has also initiated efforts to increase footfalls from India promoting the tourism in the country which has the cities including Jerusalem which is a religious place for Catholics. "We are definitely trying to reach out to the Christians across India, including Goa inviting them to visit the country," he said.