ILOILO CITY — Israeli Ambassador to the Philippines Dana Kursh arrived in Iloilo on April 30, 2026, for a two-day visit that she later described as the fulfillment of a personal priority. "Iloilo has a lot of the richness of the culture and the history and the economic history. In my first year, it was very, very high on my priorities to learn about Iloilo throughout the province, but mainly the city," she said in an interview on Thursday. The remark, delivered with the conviction of a diplomat who has made tourism promotion a central plank of her tenure, instantly reframed Iloilo as a destination that now sits on Israel's outbound travel map.
What distinguished Kursh's visit from routine diplomatic courtesy calls was its emphatically tourism-facing language. She did not merely exchange pleasantries with local officials; she positioned herself as an ambassador for Iloilo to the Israeli traveling public. "We want more Israelis to come to see, and Iloilo is one of the destinations. It's a wonderful opportunity to see the richness, also the footprints of the Spaniards—gorgeous building, gorgeous areas, which are fascinating to see," she said. The endorsement carries particular weight given that Kursh has been actively collaborating with the Department of Transportation to launch direct flights between the two countries before the end of the year.
Direct Flights Poised to Open a New Tourism Corridor
The ambassador's Iloilo visit coincides with accelerating negotiations for a direct Israel-Philippines air route. Transportation Secretary Giovanni Lopez confirmed the department is collaborating with Kursh and Philippine Ambassador to Israel Aileen Mendiola to operationalize the link within 2026. "We can start working on the direct flight from Israel to the Philippines. Rest assured that I'm going to work closely with Ambassador Aileen and the DFA," Lopez said in February.
Kursh underscored that Israeli citizens have expressed genuine interest in visiting top Philippine destinations, and she identified Iloilo as one of those primary targets. Philippine Ambassador Mendiola described the route as a "conduit" to two-way investments and projects, emphasizing that "the flight is a conduit to all of those interactions". EL AL Airlines, Israel's national carrier, subsequently announced plans to introduce non-stop flights between Israel and the Philippines, with departures from Israel expected to start in March 2027, subject to regulatory approvals. For Iloilo, a direct air bridge to Tel Aviv would bypass the current routing through Manila or other Asian hubs, potentially unlocking a steady stream of Israeli tourists whose average spending patterns and interest in heritage, gastronomy, and agricultural tourism align closely with the province's existing strengths.
A Heritage Landscape That Mirrors a Shared Appreciation for History
During her courtesy call at the Iloilo Provincial Capitol, Kursh was warmly received by Governor Arthur Defensor Jr., who was joined by Provincial Administrator Raul Banias, Provincial Tourism Officer and LEDIP Center Chief Aulynn Yue Sin, and Provincial Planning Office acting head Jigger Labergue. The discussions centered on forging stronger cultural and economic ties, particularly in technology and investment.
Earlier, Kursh visited the Museum of Philippine Economic History, where she encountered the narrative of Iloilo's rise as the "Queen City of the South." The experience prompted her to reflect on the province's significance in the country's economic history and its enduring value as a living heritage showcase. Her specific reference to "the footprints of the Spaniards—gorgeous building, gorgeous areas" points directly to the Calle Real heritage corridor, the Molo Church, the Jaro Cathedral, and the newly restored Eusebio Villanueva Building, all of which have been undergoing preservation and adaptive reuse under the city's heritage conservation framework.
That a senior Israeli diplomat would foreground architectural heritage is consistent with Israeli tourism preferences. Israel itself has successfully turned historical preservation into a major tourism pillar, and Israeli travelers—many of whom travel frequently and seek culturally immersive experiences—are a demographic that Iloilo's tourism planners have long hoped to reach. The ambassador's visit effectively serves as a high-level site inspection, one that could shape itinerary recommendations and travel advisory language for Israeli outbound tourists and tour operators.
Business-to-Business Links That Strengthen the Tourism Ecosystem
Kursh met with the Philippine Chamber of Commerce and Industry (PCCI) Iloilo chapter during her first day in the city, explicitly seeking business-to-business connections. The meeting explored synergies in agriculture, technology, and investment, each of which intersects with tourism. Agri-tourism has been identified as a growth niche for Iloilo, which already hosts the Philippine-Israel Internship Program for the Youth—an initiative that brings young Filipinos to Israel for agricultural training and could, in reverse, attract Israeli agricultural tourists and investors to Iloilo's farmlands.
Governor Defensor highlighted the province's interest in foreign investment for drone development and Information and Communication Technology (ICT) to bolster disaster response capabilities and make the province more investor-friendly. Ambassador Kursh committed to bridging the province with potential Israeli investors in these sectors. The governor also presented his flagship socialized housing program "Purok Resilience," which aims to provide climate-resilient homes for Ilonggos in high-risk areas—a model that could draw Israeli expertise in arid-zone and sustainable construction. On a personal note, Defensor revealed that he has long admired Israel, calling it his "idol country," and shared his interest in its history since his student days.
For the tourism sector, improved disaster response infrastructure and technology-driven services directly translate into a safer, more reliable destination experience—a factor that matters to international travelers evaluating emerging destinations. The ambassador's engagement with the PCCI also opens pathways for Israeli investment in Iloilo's hospitality and allied services, from hotel development to agri-tourism circuits that could complement the province's UNESCO Creative City of Gastronomy designation and its consecutive ASEAN Clean Tourist City awards.
