The Israeli Ministry of Tourism confirmed to IntelliNews that it has deployed ILS 5.1mn ($1.68mn) to anchor an ILS 12mn infrastructural expansion of Ashdod’s northern marina pier.

Jake Fichman, Foreign Media Advisor to the Israeli Ministry of Tourism, told IntelliNews that the development physically expands the city’s coastal infrastructure. "The 550m project expands the city’s coastal promenade and includes upgraded paths, lighting, shaded areas and seating overlooking the sea and marina," Fichman noted.

The project formally integrates the Lachish River promenade with the city's central maritime infrastructure, providing a contiguous leisure corridor aimed at driving both domestic foot traffic and international tourism revenue to the southern port city.

By engineering accessible public spaces that overlook the marina, local authorities are attempting to stimulate secondary economic activity across the hospitality, retail, and marine recreation sectors.

“Today we inaugurated a place that gives Ashdod residents and visitors another reason to come to the sea and enjoy it. Ashdod has one of the most beautiful coastlines in Israel, and its seven beaches carry the international Blue Flag,” The Ashdod Municipality stated in a press release.

“Our responsibility is to continue cultivating this asset and developing a high-quality and inviting public space alongside it. The northern pier is another step in strengthening Ashdod as a tourism city and in connecting the city with the sea.”

“The opening of the northern pier is part of an ongoing process of developing Ashdod’s coastline,” Deputy Mayor and Chairman of the Ashdod Tourism Company, Shimon Katznelson, said. “We are connecting the promenade, the beaches and the marina, and creating more places where residents and visitors can walk, sit and enjoy the sea.”

Katznelson also highlighted future developments, confirming that work on Lido Beach is ongoing and expected to be completed soon.

The pier's engineering is structured across two distinct operational zones to manage different types of foot traffic. The structural overhaul required removing legacy fencing, installing safety railings, and implementing heavy rockwork to reinforce the sea walls separating the public thoroughfare from the active marina.

Furthermore, the architectural blueprint introduced a bi-level separation, intentionally cordoning off a lower tier to safely facilitate maritime school activities away from the primary pedestrian flow.