Michael Yitzhakov Named Director General of the Israel Ministry of Tourism

The government of Israel announced today that Michael Yitzhakov is stepping into the director general of the Ministry of Tourism, effective immediately.

Based in Netanya, Yitzhakov’s background includes key positions in the Knesset and the government. He served as the chief of staff to the minister of tourism since 2023. While at the Israel Ministry of Tourism, he oversaw a national project to accommodate 90,000 evacuees in hotels, and he promoted an initiative to accelerate hotel construction by allowing mixed-use development on land designated for hotels.

“The tourism industry is facing the greatest crisis it has ever known, and I am confident that Michael will know how to implement my policy in the best possible way and advance the necessary measures both in the immediate and long-term, for the rehabilitation and prosperity of tourism,” said Haim Katz, the minister of tourism.

Yitzhakov will be replacing Brig. Gen. (res.) Danny Shahar, who served as the director general of IMOT since 2022.

“I thank Minister Haim Katz for his trust and my friend Danny Shahar for managing the ministry in recent years,” said Yitzhakov. “The tourism industry is a significant growth engine for the Israeli economy, and the future of tens of thousands of families depends on its success. In this challenging period, rehabilitating tourism and providing the industry with the tools it needs for the day after is a national mission.”