The Israel Youth Hostels Association (I.Y.H.A.) founded in 1937, is a public association operating as a non-profit organization under the auspices of the Ministry of Education - Youth and Social Administration. The organization operates in the fields of hostelling, tourism and tour guiding.
I.Y.H.A. Goals:
Providing accommodations, tour guiding, hostelling and various tourism services to individuals, families and groups, at affordable prices.
Promoting knowledge and love of the country by means of seminars on social, educational and environmental subjects, endorsing pluralism and patience.
Nationwide Guest House and Tourism Network:
The Israel Youth Hostel Association hostels are situated countrywide from Eilat in the south up to Tel Khai in the north, in large cities, in the countryside and near main tourist sites.
I.Y.H.A. is a member of the International Youth Hostel Federation (I.Y.H.F.) and the Federation of Youth Tourism Organizations (F.I.Y.T.O.).
I.Y.H.A. Departments:
Tourism and Education Department
Traveling Bureau - The Traveling Department handles incoming tourism and offers tour packages for trips across the country, for individuals and groups. The department activates a traveling agency that operates under license of the Ministry of Tourism.
The Internal Tourism Department - the department for inner-tourism operates in the following areas:
* Tour Organization for various target audiences: families, senior citizens, worker's committees, youth, pupils and more. In 2004 approx. 450,000 students were accommodated in I.Y.H.A. hostels. * Organization of seminars, activity programs and Summer Camps for the Ministry of Education youth groups and youth and sport centers. Package tours including bus provision, full accommodations, experienced tour guides and activities at tourism sites. * Organization of the "March of the Living" (Mits'ad Hakhaim)
I.Y.H.A. Main Offices
Jerusalem International Convention Center (Binyanei Ha'umah) P.O.B. 6001, Jerusalem 91060 Telephone: 02-6558400, 02-6558406 Fax : 02-6558432 Email:iyha@iyha.org.il
Offices for Group Tour Arrangement:
North - Tel.: 04-8206206, Fax: 04-8202444. Center - Tel.: 03-9203939, Fax.: 03-9203945. Jerusalem - Tel.: 02-6211609, Fax: 02-6221717. South - Tel.: 08-6450446, Fax: 08-6450443.
Tourism and Accommodations:
The I.Y.H.A. hostels and guest houses were built according to the standards of the Ministry of Tourism. They are set up to fulfill the needs of incoming and internal tourism. The accommodations and services include:
Comfortable air-conditioned rooms with shower and bathrooms, dining rooms, variety of Kosher meals, cafeterias, clubs, T.V. rooms, Internet stations, public areas, sport courts, lawns, swimming pools (Beit She'an and Massada) and official swimming beaches (Karei Deshe).
Most family rooms include a T.V., refrigerator and coffee.
Information on museums, tour routes, tourist attractions and places of entertainment is available at each hostel. In addition you can acquire discounts for tourism sites.
Study Centers, Lecture Halls, Conventions and Events:
The guest houses feature lecture halls and classrooms including high-tech audiovisual equipment and learning aids for lectures, conferences, extensive courses, study days and events for organizations and families with the possibility to integrate tours and site seeing.
Educational Centers:
I.Y.H.A. operates Educational centers in some of its Hostels:
Pki'in - Druze Heritage Learning Center.
Rabin Guest House in Jerusalem - Instruction Center and Learning Program for School Principals, Democracy Education Center.
Shlomi - Instruction Center and Learning Program for Teachers.
Note: Educational Centers are to be established in Massada (heroism) and Beit She'an (archeology).
Standards of Quality and Excellence in Service: ISO 9001-2000:
The I.Y.H.A. is a pioneer in adopting the international standards of quality and excellence in the fields of hostelling, tourism, and tour guiding. The I.Y.H.A. recognizes the utmost importance of the quality of accommodations and services and the professionalism required of its employees and office and hostel management.
Between 1996 and 2000, I.Y.H.A. has completed its qualification of the ISO standard, undergoing education programs for the authorization of the ISO standard in the hostels and head offices in Jerusalem.
An individual, family or group I.Y.H.A. membership card can be purchased at any hostel. This card provides reduced rates on accommodations and local tourism sites. Overseas, the card enables the holder to obtain accommodation at some 4,500 hostels in over 60 countries.
the International Youth Hostel Federation (I.Y.H.F.) publishes an international guide to youth hostels in Europe, Africa, America, Asia and Oceania. The guide contains details regarding accommodations and basic prices of B&B.
Both membership cards and the international guide can be purchased either at the I.Y.H.A. offices in Jerusalem or at any hostel.
Nationwide Reservations (for individuals and families): 1-599-510-511
Educational Programs
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