At the end of last week it was published for the first time in "Israel Hayom" about two dramatic decisions in the aviation and tourism industry regarding Israel, the war and Israeli tourists.
The first decision is to ask about stop flying to South Africa.
This is a destination that is considered relatively old in El Al's list of destinations, a destination where there is a sizable Jewish community, and one that has become in recent years in demand among tourists and less niche than it was in the past.
Now, with the submission of South Africa's lawsuit to the tribunal in The Hague and the general conduct of the country against Israel since the beginning of the war, the Israelis are speaking in action - the demand for flights to Johannesburg in South Africa has dropped very sharply.
Israelis are no longer in a hurry to fly to countries that act against Israel, and the case of South Africa is an example of what is expected to happen here in the future.
El Al's new Dreamliner plane lands in Israel (archive) // Photo: Moran Wiesel
Many other countries that have come out publicly against Israel and have criticized it since the beginning of the war are expected to see fewer tourists in the coming period, and it is not impossible that the direct routes to them will also be canceled due to the lack of demand from Israeli tourists.
The decision to cancel the route to South Africa will have quite an impact on the Jewish community there, as it is the only direct flight between Israel and South Africa.
They will not return to Istanbul soon
Another airline that had many routes between Israel and South Africa, as well as to many onward destinations around the world, is Turkish Airlines.
The Turkish airline operates flights to the largest number of destinations in the world, and last weekend it was published for the first time on the Israel Hayom website that the company is canceling all its flights to and from Israel until October 26, 2024.
Turkish Airlines' decision indicates much more than a temporary lack of demand for flights to Turkey.
This is the second airline (Iceland Air was the first) that decided to cancel such long-haul flights.
Although it is possible that the war will end much earlier, and while many airlines are returning to Israel, Turkish Airlines has chosen to cancel all flights to and from Israel for the next nine months, and at this stage it is not clear whether they will be renewed at the end of the period.
Turkish Airlines plane, photo: Coco
In view of the huge demonstrations in Turkey against Israel, the Israeli flags that were placed as carpets in the markets that until a few months ago were full of Israelis, and harsh statements by senior officials in Turkey against Israel - very few, if any, are the Israeli tourists who will agree to visit the country.
As I recall, last summer Turkey was the most sought-after destination among tourists from Israel, and on peak days, the number of flights to various destinations in Turkey approached 40 per day - much more than any other country.
As of today, the number of direct flights between Israel and Turkey is zero, and it is unclear if and when the direct flights will return.
The Israeli airlines do not plan to return to Istanbul anytime soon, and the Turkish company Pegasus has not yet made a decision regarding returning to Israel, but according to estimates - it is also not expected to return in the near future.
The big winner: El Al
Turkish Airlines, which was the most significant foreign airline in terms of flights to onward destinations such as the USA, and to various destinations in Africa, Central America, South America and Asia, will leave behind a large vacuum, into which other foreign airlines are expected to enter.
The Emirates airlines, which continued to fly to and from Israel throughout the war period and even increased the frequency of flights, are expected to be the main beneficiaries.
European companies that have already returned to Israel - such as Lufthansa, Swiss, Air France and the Polish Lott which is returning today - will also benefit from the Israelis who will look for ways to reach distant destinations with intermediate stops.
El Al is also expected to benefit from the departure of Turkish from Israel for the near future - mainly due to the fact that the American airlines have not yet returned to Israel.
One of the biggest difficulties for the American airlines is that their crews have to stay in Israel after landing here, since they arrive from far away and cannot return already on the next flight - unlike the European airlines.
Arkia and Israel are also expected to benefit from Turkish's exit, due to the fact that demand will be spread over tighter supply.
The tourism and aviation industry is undergoing a significant change - the main parameters for choosing a destination for the next vacation will be the matter of security and the matter of support for Israel.
Destinations such as Turkey, Jordan, Egypt, Morocco and South Africa are expected to be significantly affected, and on the other hand - destinations such as the USA, which abolished the need for a visa, alongside Japan, the Czech Republic, Romania, Poland, Germany and Hungary, which expressed support for Israel, are expected to benefit.
Despite the perception that we are a small country with few inhabitants, Israeli tourists are considered very sought after, due to the high frequency of their flights abroad and the high amounts they spend during their visits around the world. Because the huge low cost company EasyJet from the UK, which apparently should not be so affected by the war in Israel, lost about 40 million pounds as a result - an amount that explains how significant a player Israel is in the world tourism industry.
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