The Israeli tourism industry reported Sunday that despite the violent attacks on Maccabi Tel Aviv fans in Amsterdam, there hasn't been a wave of vacation cancellations to Europe or Amsterdam specifically.
“There haven’t been cancellations yet, but we are seeing a slowdown in bookings,” said Shirley Cohen Orkaby, deputy CEO of Israeli travel agency Eshet Tours.
“Unfortunately, Israelis have experienced numerous incidents over the past year, so we believe this event will likely be isolated. Plus, authorities around the world are now taking extra steps to ensure Israeli tourists’ safety. However, we do notice demand shifting toward places where Israelis feel safer, like Prague, Poland, and Montenegro.”
Romi Zohar, an Israeli set to travel to Amsterdam this week with her daughter, who is joining the military later this month, said they would stick to their plans. “I’m not sure what’s more dangerous—taking her to Amsterdam or sending her to the army,” she said.
“When we booked, we thought Amsterdam would be safer than London or Paris, but honestly, I don’t even feel safe when walking around Jerusalem. Nowhere feels completely secure these days, so we decided to go.” Romi, who also holds French citizenship, added that she and her daughter would keep a low profile and even speak French in the Netherlands. “It makes us feel like we won’t be recognized,” she said. “What happened in Amsterdam could happen anywhere; incidents like these are constantly happening, albeit on a smaller scale, across Europe.”
Doron Plesser, a former Israeli who has lived in the Netherlands for 32 years and works as a tour guide and taxi driver, told Ynet that things are calm in the Netherlands now. “I didn’t expect what happened—I’m in complete shock. I’ve been here for 32 years and have never experienced anything like this; it’s insane,” he said.
“I had a lot of tour cancellations for next week, even today.” He added that the Dutch must understand that this issue isn’t just about Jews or Israelis. “Once they’re done with us, they’ll move on to other groups in an attempt to dominate Europe.”
Tali Noy, marketing and sales VP at Issta travel agency, added: “We’re not seeing a shift in booking trends to Europe. So far, there haven’t been any major cancellations despite the shocking event in Amsterdam. Most bookings are for Eastern Europe’s Christmas markets, like Prague, Berlin, and Budapest, as well as Thailand and Dubai, where winter weather is warm.”
Meanwhile, the IDF announced Sunday that, based on the current situation assessment, soldiers are again permitted to fly to the Netherlands. “IDF personnel in the Netherlands must follow military guidelines for overseas leave,” the statement read.
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