The Israel Broadcasting Corporation (Kan) and Rav-Kav Online have reached agreement under which the company will issue thousands of loaded Rav Kav public transportation cards for tourists visiting Israel for the Eurovision Song Contest and for the official delegations, including the performers and thousands of journalists in Israel to cover the event. Rav Kav Online will pay hundreds of thousands of shekels for loading the cards.
The question of public transportation was of concern to the Eurovision Song Contest organizers for a number of reasons. On the Saturday on which the final event is held, the visitors will be unable to use public transportation (trains or buses) to reach the Expo Tel Aviv (Tel Aviv Fairgrounds) area, because public transportation does not operate on the Sabbath. This problem is being partially solved with free shuttles operated on several routes by the Tel Aviv municipality.
Another problem that worried the organizers concerned the public transportation reform that went into effect last January. Passengers can no longer pay for individual rides on a bus or have the driver load their Rav-Kav cards.
Since a Rav-Kav card must already be loaded when entering a bus, it was feared that tourists would have difficulty in finding a place that sells and loads the cards. Rav-Kav Online stepped into the breach by providing loaded Rav-Kav cards for distribution to tourists at Ben Gurion Airport, hotels, Eurovision Village, and Expo Tel Aviv as a starter kit that will include explanations about loading the cards when necessary. Rav-Kav Online will also provide an English-language website and app.
Rav-Kav Online said, "We are delighted to take part in preparing for the Eurovision Song Contest. The aim is to enable everyone attending the competition, both Israelis and tourists, to benefit from public transportation with no worries, to equip them with cards, and to inform them about Rav-Kav Online's loading solutions."
In addition, taxi hailing app Gett (formerly GetTaxi) will be an official partner of the event and will provide free taxi rides for the 41 delegations to and from the semi-finals, finals and rehearsals.
Published by Globes, Israel business news - en.globes.co.il - on May 1, 2019
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