In Israel, like the developed countries of the Western world, agriculture's declining share in employment and the national economy has brought about a new approach to the rural expanse and changes to the Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Development's goals. Tourism is one of the non-agricultural occupations which has the ability to maintain and preserve agriculture and the rural expanse. The Ministry is beginning to include the management of integrating tourism into agricultural industries and initiatives. A tourism coordinator has been appointed in each region, with the task of contributing to tourist development in that region. This is handled on two planes in the Ministry - private and public.