The tourism ministry has canceled its campaign to encourage summer vacations within Israel due to rising prices at hotels across the country.
Tourism Minister Joel Razvozov decided to stop campaign ads launched before he took office in early June due to the high cost of living on the holiday.
“I don’t see any reason to continue the campaign while the prices for holidays are so high – it’s a pity to waste public money on this,” Razovozov said. “The holidays aren’t just for the rich.” The minister vowed to take “immediate action” to tackle the problem.
On Tuesday, the Ministry of Tourism announced an initiative to request the Israel Hotel Association (IHA), which compiles a list of hotels willing to offer discounts to potential customers. IHA is expected to publish a list of over 100 hotels across the country that offer discounts of at least 15%, along with other offers.
The ministry said prices are particularly high within Israel due to the COVID crisis, leading to a severe labor shortage and restrictions on entry of tourists into Israel. A tourism ministry representative said hotels in the Dead Sea and Eilat, Israel’s two biggest tourist destinations, declined to participate because the hotels there are already close to full occupancy.
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“I am pleased to take the first step on the path of reducing the cost of holidays in Israel, in line with the policy presented by Prime Minister Naftali Bennett in his conversation with me recently,” Razvozov said. “I am aware of free-market forces and the real challenges posed by this period for hoteliers, but vacations in Israel may not be just for the wealthy… this is, of course, only the beginning, and I Hope more and more hotels join the list.”
New Tourism Minister Yoel Razvozov at a handover ceremony on June 15, 2021. (Moshe Herman/Benovich Communications)
The Marker Business Daily reported that prices for two nights in July and August at Tel Aviv hotels ranged from NIS 3,300–NIS 5,300 ($1,000–$1,600), while prices for four days in Eilat ranged from NIS 14,000 ($14,000). 4,300) will be spent. )
But a Ynet report claimed that some discount offers from hotels on the tourism ministry’s list are not new, others expire quickly, and some hotel representatives were unaware of the special offers.
During a news conference at Ben-Gurion airport last week, Bennett asked Israelis to avoid unnecessary foreign travel this summer.
“At this stage I would like to request: whoever doesn’t need to go abroad, don’t go abroad,” Bennett said. “If it is necessary, that is fine, but if it is not necessary – travel around Israel. We have a beautiful country. We will strengthen domestic tourism. From here I appeal to the people of domestic tourism: welcome Do it, and see that everyone has the same value.
