In the tourism industry, the shock created by Finance Minister Avigdor Lieberman's recommendation to tourism industry members that they "change professions" and call on the government to act to provide assistance and prevent the situation from getting worse is still felt.
"This is a death blow, the decision must be reconsidered"
Haim Salmi Ramada CEO Olivia Nazareth
Every year, December is the strongest month for the hotel industry in the city of Nazareth.
The city is adorned with holiday decorations, and we, too, at the Ramada Olivia Nazareth Hotel, can report reasonable occupancy - mainly of domestic tourism, which enjoys holiday content, special meals and other activities planned for this month at the hotel.
Haim Salami, CEO of the Ramada Olivia Nazareth Hotel, Photo: Daniel Leila
Suddenly, in the midst of all this optimism, the government decided to close the skies of Israel to all tourists.
Nazareth is a city of foreign tourism.
After high investments and many marketing efforts, we at the Ramada Olivia Hotel were able to market ourselves to the local audience, but that is not enough.
Nazareth is a city that attracts tourists from all over the world.
The closing of the country's entrance gates to these is a death blow to all commerce in the city, based entirely on inbound tourism.
Thus, for example, the situation of local guides is desperate as their work is mainly based on foreign tourism. We ask the Israeli government to reconsider its precedent decision and understand that the local tourist sites, with an emphasis on Nazareth.
Foreign tourists must be allowed to enter the country so that we can continue to operate to high standards and at reasonable and convenient prices.
The fact that Israelis can fly abroad but fully vaccinated tourists can not enter Israel is a terrible blow to the Israeli tourism industry in general and hotels in particular, especially in cities like Nazareth where the closure could be a death sentence.
"Israel lovers are already disappointed with us, prefer not to come"
Barak Berkovich | guide
Until the start of the Corona crisis, my schedule was completely full - then everything stopped in one fell swoop, there is not even a single day of work. And we're experiencing a life we did not know. My child no longer goes to classes, and we have a very hard time.
Guide Barak Berkovich, Photo: Matan Portnoy
When Merav Michaeli, who comes from a socialist party, says that it is legitimate to sacrifice the tourism industry, it means that we are a victim, dead.
Compensation no longer helps.
The debate on compensation has been going on for almost a year - and nothing is happening.
My schedule was full again, I was supposed to have a group to guide even now - but then they decided to close everything and I have nothing. No one compensates me, and I do not know where I get my monthly salary from.
The Minister of Finance tells us that we need to find another profession - how will I find it?
Are you doing a route for me?
Help me while I'm studying a profession?
There is no outline.
Israel is the only country in the world except Morocco that was open before the Omicron and is now closed to tourists.
Many tourists who loved Israel are very disappointed in us.
They are angry with us, and tell me: "We prefer not to come, the State of Israel does not really want us."
I hope someone wakes up and sees that these are humans and not dolls that can be played with.
"If we prevent the use of our services - we must provide assistance on the spot"
Oz Berlowitz CEO of Arkia International
We repeat: the government must adopt a policy that is prevalent in all the advanced countries of the world, differentiate between entering and leaving Israel without vaccinators and encourage citizens to go vaccinated.
The country has close to 2.8 million citizens who are not vaccinated.
Flight routine with return for inspection and isolation up to 24 hours is an incentive for citizens to approach to get vaccinated.
Once they change the outline, people will be queuing up for the vaccine!
We are going through a shaky year, during the year we have been operationally streamlined, learned to work and make quick decisions, changed destinations according to red, orange and yellow countries, opened new destinations, conquered new markets and made dozens of special flights.
We have learned to divert our marketing channels to market requirements according to the guidelines of the Ministry of Health.
Oz Berlovitch,
Vacation and aviation are the specialty of Arkia.
Most of the income from vacation and aviation in a normative year is in the spring and summer months.
Unfortunately, in the summer we were semi-closed with a very limited number of flight destinations, so we entered the winter in a difficult way.
The new government guidelines are forcing us to once again reduce the number of flights and unfortunately also the number of employees.
We need help immediately: help!
No loan or guarantee.
Israeli aviation is an asset to the State of Israel.
At this time, when the government calls not to use the product we manufacture, it is required to give assistance and now.
"Send us to a profession conversion? A sin for a crime"
Shirley Cohen Urakbi Vice President of Torres
It has been almost two years since the tourism industry was run in a crisis manner.
Amid point waves of tidal demand, we are experiencing cancellations, a significant drop in orders and guidelines that change news for the mornings.
For most of the year we are not approaching a third of the pre-corona work volume.
Shirley Cohen Urakbi, VP of Eshet Tours,
Just when the situation began to improve a bit, a fatal blow came from the one who is most supposed to take care of tens of thousands of families who make a direct and indirect living from the tourism industry: the Minister of Finance of the State of Israel.
The unfortunate statement he provided endangers the livelihoods of hundreds of thousands of Israelis who work in the industry directly or support it: travel agents, tour guides, hotel workers, drivers and more.
The damage is particularly noticeable in the periphery, which is based on inbound tourism.
To this day, the large Israeli tourism companies, which together employ thousands of workers, have not received a single shekel from the state, unlike Israeli hotels and airlines.
Instead of correcting the injustice of the previous government, he adds guilt to crime and sends dedicated workers in an industry that brings billions of shekels into the country every year to look for a new profession.
The recovery in inbound tourism will take a long time to fix.
The government should keep the sky open, as in the whole world.
At the same time, a reasonable compensation outline for Israeli tourism companies should be promoted as quickly as possible, as has been done in other industries.
Enough of the unnecessary statements, this is a time for decisions and actions.
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Fixed!
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