Israelis traveling abroad have increasingly come across incidents of hate and abuse as the war in Gaza continued. While some countries expressed their support for Israel after the Hamas massacre on October 7, as the war progressed, the anti-Israel sentiment has grown.
Last week an Israeli couple was thrown out of a Paris hotel in the middle of the night and their reservation was denied by the manager on duty at the reception and days earlier, a hotel in Japan informed an Israeli that his reservation was rejected because of the "war crimes" committed by the IDF in Gaza.
Amid the war, many Israelis initially opted to vacation locally. "Until February, there was very little outbound tourism for leisure purposes," said Dr. Eran Ketter, Head of the Tourism and Hospitality Management Department at Kinneret College. "However, February saw a 40% increase, and May a 70% increase compared to the same months last year."
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Paris - A hotel threw an Israeli family to the street in the middle of the night
(Photo: Shutterstock)
He said Israelis were discussing in social media forums, what countries were more friendly toward Israeli tourists. "Just as they seek recommendations on hotels, restaurants, or attractions, they also inquire about hostility and anti-Israel sentiments. Some destinations have nearly disappeared from the Israeli tourist map, including Turkey, the Sinai Peninsula, Ireland, and South Africa. On the other hand, there is a growing demand for flights to Eastern European countries like Hungary, Poland, and Romania, which have shown support for Israel and a lack of alignment with the Palestinian narrative," he said.
"Nevertheless, since the beginning of the year, tens of thousands of Israelis have visited the Sinai Peninsula and Turkey, destinations considered unfriendly to Israeli tourists and even under travel advisories. This may be because many of these tourists are Israeli Arabs, who might feel less threatened due to their Arabic language skills and less conspicuous markers that could compromise their sense of security at these destinations."
Dr. Ketter explained that among families with children, there is a clear preference for "friendly" destinations abroad. Many families choose to stay in Israel for both security and economic reasons. "Therefore, the absence of incoming tourism to Israel or a decline in numbers due to the war is barely felt, because the gap is filled by these families and others who prefer to vacation within Israel."
"Among marketers, travel agents, and tour operators, there is a noticeable emphasis on promoting safe destinations for Israelis on social media and various websites, ensuring there are no concerns about protests or antisemitism. Direct flights to destinations like Ireland or South Africa have not resumed since the war, as airlines (especially El Al) identify demand hotspots and act accordingly."