The Israeli hotels should be re-rated using a new rating method to become a standard in the sector and be based on the rating of internationally professional bodies such as the Michelin in France, RAC in the UK and AAA in the US, a public committee appointed to examine the tourist service quality in Israel has suggested.

The committee headed by Dr. Israel Peleg was appointed a year and a half ago by former Tourism Minister Isaac Herzog. The committee members include Dr. Galia Fuchs, Adv. Ayelet Nahmias, Asher Goldshlager, Yanush Damon, Dori Shadmon and Daud Halila.

The committee, which was to submit its recommendations and conclusions to interim Tourism Minister Gideon Ezra on Tuesday, determined that the tourist service quality provided in Israel is “quite alarming.”

According to the committee, the tourist service and its quality should worry all those responsible for promoting tourism in Israel or have high regard for the matter. “Faults can be seen almost across the board, including in the major tourist center – the Old City of Jerusalem,” states the committee.

"The need to improve the service quality is grows, especially if Israel is to increase its image marketing efforts oversees as an international tourist destination.

"Moreover, competition is on the rise by neighboring countries such as Egypt and Jordan, where services are cheaper and the level of service has significantly improved over recent years.”

The committee recommends applying proper disclosure regulations in tourist advertising throughout the tourism sector, including internet advertising and marketing campaigns. Up until now, proper disclosure has only partially been implemented in travel agencies’ tourist packages.

An adequate model for imitation in the committee’s opinion, is the EU market commission