Ben Gurion Airport is almost completely empty, with a drop of about 80% in passenger traffic compared to normal. However, there are already those who think about the day after and fantasize about a vacation overseas. We checked with the managers of some of the largest tourism companies in Israel where we will return to flying, what is the state of demand today, what happens to those who want to cancel and what are the expected trends?
Nir Mazor, VP Aviation
Relations: "As of today, the level of demand is very low, there is little traffic for refreshment vacations, mainly in Greece and Cyprus – short flights to nearby destinations." Regarding future trends, Mazor replied, "Without a doubt, Greece will receive further reinforcement. What's more, it's super popular anyway. The expectation is for more flights and more islands to which there will be direct flights. Cities that are expected to strengthen again are Prague and Budapest, which are perceived as safe and have a lesser presence of hostile elements. People are still not booking flights for next summer, most Israelis are still preoccupied with the war effort and the support of the fighters on the front. We are allowing you to cancel and receive a future credit on any purchase of our products at this stage until the end of November."
One of many Israeli flags flying in Prague. Cinematography: Nehorai Saban,
Shirley Cohen Orkabi, VP of Eshet Tours
: "There is an almost complete halt in new orders, and a decrease in demand in site visits as well. Since the beginning of the fighting, demand has declined by about 85%. At the moment, the destinations of the Israeli airlines dictate the map of destinations, and there is significance to the personal sense of security of Israelis at the destination. The United States, for example, is gaining momentum, and there is also demand for Batumi and Eastern Europe. The five most booked destinations now are New York, Athens, Budapest, Prague, Batumi" Regarding future bookings, Cohen-Orkabi replied, "Destinations that will replace Turkey and Sinai are alternative sunbathing destinations such as Montenegro, Greece, Cyprus, as well as other destinations in Europe that will gain momentum such as Croatia and Spain. City Break destinations, Athens, Budapest and Bucharest are expected to star at Istanbul's expense. Another significant change is a very significant increase in tourism to the US, which after the visa exemption will become much more accessible. People are still not ordering for next summer, even for Passover and this spring there are almost no orders, due to the uncertainty."
Far fewer Israelis will visit Sinai, Photo: GettyImages
Yoni Waxman Deputy Chairman Ofir Tours
"We have reduced the number of reservation centers and are operating in a limited format of customer service and orders. The main destinations we see bookings for are: Larnaca in Cyprus, Tbilisi, Georgia, Bucharest, Romania, New York and Miami. As it currently stands, the destinations that are going to conquer Israelis such as the Czech Republic with the great support for Israel, Austria and the United States with the visa exemption will be very popular. At the moment there are very few bookings for next summer, we do see bookings for the US incorporating a cruise, even for the closer dates. Travel companies follow the cancellation laws of the various airlines and suppliers, cancel flights every day for the next few days with no cancellation fees on most airlines or they give a credit voucher for future use."
Hani Sobol, CEO Diesenhaus
"The past week has been characterized by several notable trends. Business customers who stopped flights at the outbreak of the war make reservations and fly to business meetings and international conferences. As for the private sector, the wave of cancellations has stopped, and the public that has already booked pre-war vacations for December and January is waiting for the time being, and is likely to make a decision only close to the flight. In the past week we have also seen requests from Israelis who flew abroad after the war began, who are already interested in returning to Israel." Asked what about new orders, Sobol replied, "There are, but in low volumes. Reservations are mainly to major destinations in Europe, for short periods, and with cancellation options. New orders for summer are not yet available. It is clear that this is a period characterized by significant fluctuations in the day-to-day level, and therefore at the moment the forecasts are valid only in the short term. Beyond that, it would not be correct to assess."
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