Market Report: Israel
The Israeli-Palestinian war means international touring is significantly disrupted in this part of the world, and its effect continues to ripple out across the region. Nonetheless, concerts and entertainment continue to take place, although with a stronger domestic focus than in more peaceful times.
Primary ticketing
Eventim is the key ticketing company in Israel, operating in the market since 2011, offering a predominantly domestic range of entertainment events. Others include Ticketmaster, which arrived in 2017, and Leaan.
Eventim recently launched an external connection to a third-party access control system via a mid-layer, which allows “seamless integration between our ticketing platform and external access control solutions,” says the company’s Tomer Chacham. “This setup facilitates real-time data exchange and control over event entry, enhancing overall security and operational efficiency.”
“We continue to maintain our position through the robustness and reliability of our platforms and expert teams, despite the potential for a volatile economy due to regional conflicts.”
“We continue to maintain our position through the robustness and reliability of our platforms and expert teams, despite the potential for a volatile economy due to regional conflicts, ensuring that our clients receive uninterrupted service and support in these challenging times,” says Chacham.
Distribution of sales
Almost 100% of tickets are now sold online, with just a small percentage still being bought directly in paper format.
Secondary ticketing
Ticket reselling has been illegal in the market since it was outlawed by The Knesset in 2002. Nevertheless, there remains a black market for buying tickets to popular shows, and Viagogo maintains a web presence in Hebrew.
Cultural analysis
Economic uncertainty due to the war and the increased security threat are having an impact on live entertainment in Israel. In such circumstances, Eventim is expanding into access control systems for stadiums, in order to enhance security and streamline entry processes at major sports venues, according to Chacham.
He adds: “Establishing a strong presence in the sports and theatre sectors in Israel will allow us to capitalise on the growing demand for innovative ticketing solutions and solidify our position in these vibrant markets. Both areas present promising avenues for development and increased market penetration.”
Taxes & charges
Concert tickets are subject to the country’s 17% VAT rate.
Country Profile: Israel
Following the Israeli government’s invasion of Gaza in response to the October 2023 terrorist attacks and the ongoing war and regional tensions, international touring has, unsurprisingly, become untenable.
“With the ongoing extensive security situation here, there are no international shows, only local concerts,” says Hillel Wachs, partner at promoter 2b Vibes Music. And even those shows have been, as Oren Arnon of Shuki Weiss Promotion & Production puts it, “extremely ‘dynamic.’”
“So many of our plans have been axed and then rebuilt and then often axed again, and the local scene has at some points enjoyed significant boosts as well as depressing lulls,” he says. “The lack of international touring has, on the one hand, peaked demand from local acts, as people still have the need to go out and dance and smile, but on the other hand, shows seem to be on much shorter timelines from announcement to stage, and it is increasingly difficult to plan large-scale shows and/or festivals well in advance.”
Other promoters who typically dealt with international touring artists include Live Nation, The Zappa Group, Hadran, and Gad Oron.
“So many of our plans have been axed and then rebuilt and then often axed again, and the local scene has at some points enjoyed significant boosts as well as depressing lulls”
But there is also positive news. “We recently opened a new 2,000-cap venue in the Haifa seaport,” says Arnon. “This was a work in progress over the last two years, and as the content was due to be largely local anyway, we decided along with our partners in Haifa to move ahead as planned.
“At the same time, we are carefully planning a large national reunion tour for one of the most beloved rock & roll acts in Israel’s short history and assisting our friends at AEG and Moonlight Productions in Cyprus with seven to eight trucks worth of gear for the recent Ed Sheeran shows there.”
Those local concerts Wachs mentions have been a boon for the stars of tomorrow. “Young local artists making waves and who have begun an international career include Noah Kirel, Lola Marsh, Noga Erez, and Ester Rada,” he says. “Dealing with BDS activists creates enthusiastic chatter online but has no real effect on any artists’ career or touring.”
Overall, optimism – and determination – remain. “The challenges we face now are immense and vastly different from what I imagine anyone else is experiencing – and mostly not even related to the music business anyway. But every disaster always brings opportunity,” says Arnon. “The right band in the right venue for a fair fee will always work,” adds Wachs. “We expect business to return to ‘as usual’ in 2026.”
Arena Market: Israel
Since Hamas launched attacks on Israeli citizens in October 2023 and the subsequent Israeli military assaults on Gaza, international touring to this part of the world has pretty much ceased.
In more peaceful times, Israel was a popular stop, with Tel Aviv the main concert hub. The Menora Mivtachim Arena in the Yad Eliyahu neighbourhood, serves as the primary indoor facility, accommodating up to 12,000 fans. Owned by the city and operated by its Sports Palaces company, the venue boasts a cutting-edge audio-visual system, a 300sqm LED cube suspended above the central court, and an advanced TW Audio sound system with over 50 speakers, including B30 subwoofers.
In the capital, Jerusalem, the city-owned Pais Arena is an 11,000-capacity venue on six levels.
A new stadium complex, including a 5,000-capacity arena, is being built in Ashdod. Work started in 2023 and continues apace, according to reports.