Yossi Fattal, the director of the Chamber of Inbound Tourism Organizers to Israel, has expressed concern over the impact of the recent conflict in the Gaza Strip on Israel’s tourism. According to Fattal, many companies have stopped flying to Israel, leading to an isolation similar to that of North Korea. The Chamber is the representative body for inbound tourism in Israel, including most travel agents in this field.
Completely Isolated
In an interview with the local media, Fattal expressed his concern about the current state of aviation in Israel. He revealed that 250 airlines were operating in Israel before the crisis, but now only 45 companies are operating. This has made Israel one of the most isolated countries in the world, with only 20% of flights operated by airlines other than El Al (Israel).
Fattal is of the view that Israel's current situation is harmful to Israel's tourism and strategic image. He believes that despite the ongoing war, Israel should have found ways to facilitate and encourage tourism to avoid such a scenario.
Will Israel's Tourism Recover?
According to Fattal, it will take at least six months to restore the country's image and for airlines to return after the war ends. He also predicted that Israel's tourism sector would take two to three years to recover from the impact of the war. The cancellation of tourism trips for the entire year is widespread. Since the beginning of the war, inbound tourism to Israel has significantly declined. In the first three months of the war, it was expected to reach 900,000 tourists, but only 190,000 tourists arrived, as per data published in January.