Israeli Tourism Crumbles as Travel Lockdown Drags On
While the missiles may have stopped, the Israeli tourism industry is still in freefall. In a revealing interview with The Media Line’s Felice Friedson, veteran tour operator Mark Feldman of Zion Tours lays bare the crisis gripping Israel’s travel sector—a mess of empty rescue flights, stranded tourists, price gouging, and bureaucratic red tape.
With Ben Gurion Airport mostly shuttered for nearly 10 days, Feldman says about 100,000 Israelis remain stuck abroad, from Montenegro to Manhattan. “We’re isolated in a way no other Western country would be,” he says. Travelers have resorted to ferries from Larnaca, boats from Aqaba, or staying put. Those lucky enough to board one of the few government-approved “rescue flights” must sign a pledge to stay away for at least three weeks.
Meanwhile, El Al has been charging eye-watering prices—up to $2,500 for a one-way economy ticket to New York. Even the state-chartered ships, Feldman says, are making money off desperate passengers.
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With Gaza still burning and tourists staying away, the summer season is dead. Fall looks no better. “Tourism for 2025 is finished,” Feldman says bluntly. “Can we salvage Christmas? Maybe.”
Programs like Birthright are in limbo, hotels are half full but charging $750 a night, and guides are quitting the industry altogether. Flights have rerouted to Cyprus midair to dodge missile threats.
Still, Feldman believes Israelis will recover. “We bounce back quickly,” he says, though he’s calling for national leadership to declare an end to the crisis. Until then, Israel’s travel sector is grounded, and so are its people.
Read Felice Friedson’s full article and watch the interview for the complete story.
