Airlines Reopen Routes to Israel, Tourism Leaders Warn Recovery Will Take Years
After a Gaza ceasefire, international airlines resume flights to Israel, sparking cautious tourism optimism. Industry leaders stress stability as key, with plans for a new homegrown carrier fueling further hope
Several international airlines have announced plans to resume flights to Israel’s Ben Gurion Airport following the recent ceasefire in Gaza, inspiring cautious optimism in the Israeli tourism industry. Air France was the first international airline to return to Israel, with flights between Tel Aviv and Paris resuming on January 25. United Airlines is set to restart flights in March, and Delta’s return is scheduled for April. British Airways, Lufthansa, and ITA have dates set for their return, and Turkish Airlines signaled that it would resume flights to Ben Gurion Airport as well.
Restored airline service to Israel remains contingent on the stability of the ceasefire with Hamas.
Tourism has long been an important part of the Israeli economy, but the COVID-19 pandemic and the war with Gaza both severely damaged the industry. Before 2020, Israeli tourism amounted to approximately 2.8% of the country’s GDP, injecting over 20 billion shekels, or about $5.6 billion, each year. However, the October 7, 2023, attacks quickly reversed Israeli tourism’s post-COVID rebound, with adjacent industries like hospitality, transportation, and retail also facing significant hits.
In addition to international airlines resuming flights to Israel, the Israeli tourism industry may soon see the launch of a new homegrown airline. Kavei Hufsha, one of Israel’s largest tourism companies, has announced plans to establish a new Israeli airline focused on short-haul flights. The company, which already owns Greek airline Blue Bird and Cypriot airline TUS, intends to operate routes within a four-to-five-hour radius of Israel. While still in the early stages, the initiative is expected to materialize at least 18 months, with licensing procedures from Israel’s Civil Aviation Authority (CAA) alone requiring six months.
We left around 30 people just to keep the company running, to keep our remaining clients happy so we can be ready for the day after.
Sar-El Tours, Israel’s largest inbound tourism operator for Christian travelers, dismissed 100 of its 130 employees in the wake of October 7, 2023, Sar-El CEO Uri Avrouskine said. “We left around 30 people just to keep the company running, to keep our remaining clients happy so we can be ready for the day after,” Avrouskine told The Media Line.
He noted that before the pandemic and the war, Sar-El Tours brought between 100,000 and 150,000 tourists to Israel each year.
We have tons of people who are just waiting to be able to come, so the ceasefire, combined with the return of air carriers back to Israel, will have a major impact.
Many Christians remain highly motivated to visit Israel, Avrouskine said. “We have tons of people who are just waiting to be able to come, so the ceasefire, combined with the return of air carriers back to Israel, will have a major impact,” he explained.
“With the news of air carriers back to Israel, we already feel the demand of clients who are now asking, inquiring about coming back in a few months, making plans, and starting to come back,” he said. He said that Sar-El could bring in 30% to 40% of its 2019 business this year if the ceasefire holds.
However, their return is entirely linked to the ceasefire holding in both Gaza and Lebanon.
Mark Feldman, CEO of leading Israeli tourism operator Ziontours, said that the industry was cautiously optimistic about the plans to resume international flights. “However, their return is entirely linked to the ceasefire holding in both Gaza and Lebanon,” Feldman told The Media Line.
This holiday season, give to:
Truth and understanding
The Media Line's intrepid correspondents are in Israel, Gaza, Lebanon, Syria and Pakistan providing first-person reporting.
They all said they cover it.
We see it.
We report with just one agenda: the truth.
Terry Kessel, managing director of Diesenhaus, a major Israeli travel company specializing in business travel, said that the ceasefire brought with it “slight hope on the horizon.”
Kessel highlighted the importance of long-term stability for the tourism industry. “Without stability, it’s impossible to plan ahead or bring in groups,” he told The Media Line.
If the ceasefire holds, he said, the industry could start to rebound by mid-2025.
With Israel’s current international perception, recovery will take years even if the situation stabilizes. It could take 1.5 to 2 years for the sector to show signs of meaningful recovery.
“With Israel’s current international perception, recovery will take years even if the situation stabilizes,” he said. “It could take 1.5 to 2 years for the sector to show signs of meaningful recovery.”
He said that the Israeli tourism industry has been struggling since the COVID-19 pandemic. Just as the country was emerging from the pandemic, the war began.
“Israel had to endure more than 15 months of turmoil due to the war,” Kessel said. “Every day, it’s a new issue—airlines canceling flights, for instance. It’s been extremely difficult.”
For now, international tourism to Israel mostly consists of Jewish solidarity trips, he explained.
Kessel said that demand for tourism to Israel remains low and is dominated by Jewish solidarity missions. “There are no Brits, Americans, or Germans clamoring to visit Israel this winter,” he said. “The hope is to salvage Easter and Passover and encourage potential tourists to plan visits in the spring.”
We need to put Israel back on the bucket list for tourists worldwide. This involves hosting VIPs from the tourism industry, decision-makers, and influencers to showcase Israel’s safety and attractions.
Israel’s Ministry of Tourism is working on restoring the country’s appeal as a top destination. “We need to put Israel back on the bucket list for tourists worldwide,” Ami Alon, head of marketing services for the ministry, told The Media Line. “This involves hosting VIPs from the tourism industry, decision-makers, and influencers to showcase Israel’s safety and attractions.”
Alon said that the ministry recently hosted a group of Italians in an effort to promote Catholic tourism to Israel for the 2025 Jubilee year. “Their visit sparked renewed interest from Italy, which is a promising sign,” he said.
Efforts are also underway to promote travel from key markets such as the US, the UK, France, and India, with a focus on religious, family, and cultural tourism.
Air travel prices are expected to decrease as more direct flights to Israel are reinstated, but they remain high for now.
“There has been no impact on El Al’s pricing,” Feldman, the Ziontours CEO, said. “A dramatic decrease in airfares will require a substantial influx of incoming tourism when foreign airlines resume operations and competition returns to the market.”
Feldman predicted only “minor fluctuations” in prices, noting that returning companies had announced fares similar to those of El Al.
Avrouskine of Sar-El Tours similarly described air travel prices as “outrageous.”
With international tourism to Israel expected to take some time to recover, the Israeli government is also trying to incentivize internal tourism. Encouraging Israelis to explore their own country helps support local economies while we work to bring back international travelers,” Alon said. He said that domestic tourism would help sustain the tourism sector for the long term.
The path to recovery for Israel’s international tourism industry remains uncertain, as it hinges on the fragile ceasefire holding steady. A resurgence of conflict in Gaza could potentially hinder the return of international flights and visitors. But government and industry leaders remain steadfast in their commitment to ensuring tourist safety, even in challenging times.
If we can maintain a few weeks of calm, the spring of 2025 might just mark the start of our comeback.
“If we can maintain a few weeks of calm, the spring of 2025 might just mark the start of our comeback,” Feldman said.
