We Are - Amiel

WE
ARE

With almost 50 years as an incoming tour operator, the nine-time (!) recipient of the Distinguished Promoter of Tourism Award, recognition by the President of Israel as the Jubilee Promoter of Tourism (1998) for our work in the promotion of the tourism trade in Israel, and close to 100,000 tourists every year, Amiel has earned its worldwide reputation as the leading provider of tourism to Israel.

OUR COMPANY

Established in 1976, WE ARE a 3-generation family owned and managed business, and one of the strongest and most financially stable companies in the local tourism market.

Amiel’s mission is to create and deliver experiences that resonate for a lifetime. Our uniqueness as a company stems from values which are rooted in our culture and expressed in everything we do. Our love for Israel, passion for sharing its landscapes, history and traditions with travelers from around the globe, and our ability to stay relevant, after so many years in business, are why tour operators choose us again and again, as their trusted partner in Israel.

Amiel today is led by Oni Amiel, who assumed the role of president 30 years ago, and his son Yuval Amiel, CEO of the company since 2019. Our devoted senior management, and skilled and highly motivated team of travel experts, producers, logistics managers, customer care specialists and office staff, come from a range of religious and ethnic backgrounds, representing the melting pot that is Israel. We all share a passion for service, working together towards a common goal – to share the beauty of Israel, deliver the best travel experience, and make it memorable for each and every one of our travelers.

OUR HISTORY

Amiel was founded as a company in 1976 by Eliahu (Chuzi) Amiel (1927-2016), but our history dates back to the 1830s when the Amiel family left Casablanca, Morocco, for Jaffa on a journey of faith and deliverance. Chuzi, a role model for many in the industry, became a prominent figure in Israel’s incoming tourism sector, recognized by The State of Israel for his contribution to the industry, named as Man of the Year by The Israel Ministry of Tourism in 1996, and honored with a Lifetime Achievement Award by the president in 2000.

In 1986, Chuzi appointed his son Oni, a licensed tour guide active in the tourism industry since 1982, as director and CEO of the company. Together, father and son built the company’s strength, expanded the business, opened subsidiaries in Germany and Tokyo, and partnered with companies in the US and Europe. When Chuzi retired in 2000, he passed the reins to Oni who has managed the company since, in the same spirit, dedication and professionalism as his father.

In 2008, Oni’s children, a third generation of Amiels, joined the company. Yuval Amiel became CEO in 2019, and Noa Amiel was appointed as Head of Human Resources.

1839

The Amiel family leaves Casablanca on route to Jaffa

They arrived in the Holy Land and settled in the first Jewish neighborhood outside of Old Jaffa, where Tel Aviv’s Neve Tzedek is today, only to be expelled by the Ottoman government to Alexandria, Egypt, shortly after.

1920

The Amiel’s return to Palestine

Following the defeat of the Turks by the British, the family is able to return

1948

Irit Amiel, Holocaust survivor, makes Aliyah and settles in Kibbutz Palmachim

Irit was born in Poland in 1931, and survived World War II in Czestochowa ghetto, using false Aryan papers. In Palestine she settles in Palmachim, a new kibbutz on the Israeli coast where she meets and marries Chuzi Amiel, a fellow pioneer

1955

Chuzi becomes the nation’s first out of two tourist bus drivers

In the 1950s, the bus cooperative where Chuzi worked acquired three brand new red tourist buses. Chuzi immediately fell in love and became one of the first tourist bus drivers in Israel.

1960

Chuzi receives his tour guide license, and becomes young country’s 23rd tour guide

For 20 years Chuzi followed a career path that included bus driver, tour guide, tour operator and then department head in a tour agency, before he finally founded his own company – Amiel.

1976

Amiel was established

1982

Oni joins the company

Oni, an officer in the Paratroopers Brigade, and a student of Land of Israel studies at Beit Berl College, joins his father’s business as a licensed tour guide.

1983

Oni is sent to Germany to establish Shalom Israel Reisen, Amiel’s outgoing tour operator to Israel in Germany

1998

Amiel receives the Jubilee Promoter of Tourism Award from the President of Israel

2000

Chuzi retires after receiving a Life Achievement Award from the President of Israel, and Oni is named company CEO

2008

Yuval Amiel joins Amiel

Yuval, Oni’s son, studied business administration and also became a licensed tour guide. He is the 3rd generation in the family business

2020

Yuval becomes CEO of Amiel

OUR STRUCTURE

Amiel is a family-owned company which focuses on incoming travel to Israel, which operates in related fields through subsidiaries and partnerships. The majority of our staff is located in Israel, in addition we have representatives in the US, Europe and Asia. In Israel, we own Amiel Events, which offers high-end event production to local and international businesses in Israel, and partner with Regarding Israel in the area of educational tourism.

In the international market we have three subsidiaries, Shalom Israel Reisen and B&T Touristik in Germany, and Amiel Tokyo. In addition, we have an established network of partners in Italy and Greece, who share our values and standard of service.