Travel
Israel unaffordable for foreign tourists
Danny Sadeh
Published: 12.03.13, 13:11
Comment Comment
Print comment Print comment
Back to article
29 Talkbacks for this article
1. Time 2 build nice clean AFFORDABLE Hotels
Just Sayin' ,   Israel   (03.12.13)
and being polite to strangers wouldn't hurt us either!
2. Why would a tourist come to a Cuba of the Middle East?
Avi   (03.12.13)
Really expensive hotels, or dirty hostels. There is no inbetween. Costly flights, eating and drinking out is so expensive. Horrendous customer service. I'm a local, so we need to fix it or we will loose even more. We will continue to get Taglit crew who come and go and see wealthy European Jews but we can't hold on to them, and remain no more than a vacation spot and ticking their "been to Israel" box
3. Lower your prices...cut the attitude and be thankful
Al   (03.12.13)
It doesnt takem a genius to understand customer service. It doesnt break your face should you smile. And please stop trying to be peoples accountant by asking them dumb ass qauestion as to what they do and how much they earn. Give them space and be respectful. People dont come back not because of price, but because your attitudes towards them suck.
4. Sad but true
Dave ,   London   (03.12.13)
The sad truth is that it's not a really nice place to be a tourist. I own a house on the Beach front in Netanya and I spend every holiday in Israel since half my family are in Israel. However if I didn't have my own house I would not like to pay extortionate prices for hotels that haven't been renovated since the seventies and be insulted by grossly underpaid hotel staff. Yes the sad truth is that there are many cheaper places to go on holiday and be treated to a luxury holiday experience.
5. I would also add...
Tim ,   Brighton   (03.12.13)
It isnt necessarily 'Family Friendly' Israels average Tourist Profile are vistors to family in Israel or Sight Seeing Tourists. Sight seeing is great for adults but for young families with teens and children... Otherwise an average Sun n Sand Tel Aviv Beach Holiday is mind blowingly expensive for an average family of 4 and these are the people who are by far the larget market for tourists And yet..despite the lack of affordable beach resorts..Israel has the Negev. With a bit of creative thinking we could build a series of Water Leisure Lido Hoilday Parks...self contained safe for children..lots of activities, affordable and safe. Its a formula that works successfully even in the UK with Centre Parcs..and Israel has constant Sun and Warmth in the Negev to boot! And great not only for Tourists but Israelis as well
6. Greed
Ethan ,   Eilat   (03.12.13)
Believe me the hotel workers are not over paid. They are through very unprofessional because of the extremely high rate of turnover do to horrible management that is in cahoots with the histadrut.
7. How did Switzerland get to 1st place?
Jake   (03.12.13)
Once when I was on holiday, driving south from Germany into Switzerland, I was accosted at the border by unfriendly Swiss police barking at me that I need to buy a "vignette" (the equivalent of one year of road tax) just for the privilege of driving through their country. I find it rather ironic that at that moment my thoughts were on turning around and fleeing north from Switzerland back to Germany.
8. Israel unaffordable for foreign tourists
Ludmila ,   Czech Republic   (03.12.13)
I am a travel agent focused on Israel and I moved my tourists to Palestinian hotels in Betlehem. Excellent and clean accommodation with friendly and devoted staff. They know how to serve tourists. The same applies to Arab employees in the hotels in Israel. Their friendly behavior and skills make the difference.
9. unaffordable to olim too.
former oleh chadash ,   Brazil   (03.12.13)
but it's a beautiful country. Some Israelis are even gentle.
10. I agree that it's expensive, but attitude?
(03.12.13)
I don't know why people complain that much of the Israeli attitude, maybe it depends where you're from. I'm originally from Scandinavia, which I guess isn't really the center of polite-ness or extroverted-ness (atleast not for the last few decades).
11. Love Israel, have lots of family there, but prices .........
Ibrahim Sued ,   Brazil   (03.12.13)
12. A Different Opinion
Howard ,   Seattle USA   (03.13.13)
I visited Israel last year and found the people to be incredibly warm and freiendlyas well as helpful..As for prices there are many cities in the US where you will need more then a few shekels to visit.
13. So we need to put our economy upside down, become half-broke
tom ,   tel aviv   (03.13.13)
just to please some Swiss, so they come to visit? Switzerland of all places????!!!!!!!!! One of the more obnoxious places on the face of Earth??? Oh and stop this Christian "mea culpa" chest pounding, for Pete's sake!!!
14. Shvil Israel, beautiful
20+ tourist group ,   Finland   (03.13.13)
Shalom. We just spent 10 days hiking on Israel Shvil, the Israel Trail. Amazing!! The nature is blooming, there is flowers and birds and butterflies and you name it. All is green! Nahals and Wadis are full of water.. Starting from Tel Dan, we now have another 740 km left :-) So yes I RECOMMEND hiking heartily. Mount Arbel was breathtaking. I'm looking for the Negev desert, as that will be our next trip.
15. There is another way....
Shirrah Friedman ,   Tel Aviv, Israel   (03.13.13)
As a founder of a new tourism services company in Israel, I find the problem to be rooted much deeper than the hotel prices... the problem is with local mentality. More often than not i hear tourists are quoted absolutely ridiculous prices for almost anything - like tour guides who charge $700-900 per day!! These prices are double what a tour guide normally charges! And sadly this phenomenon takes place in almost all tourist-related scenarios... One of the reasons i decided to start my company www.simply-israel.com is precisely this. i believe there is a way of making a good living while being transparent and fair with both your customers and your suppliers! I really hope that with the awareness and choices of both local and foreign tourists, and with more and more smaller tourism businesses that also work towards a healthier ecosystem (there are some of us out there!) - we can gradually transform into a better industry, based on collaboration and respect, and less on short-term greed...
16. # 1 and # 3 Wouldn't more affordable homes
BUILD BABY BUILD ,   United States   (03.13.13)
help by lowering the cost of living?BUILD MORE HOMES.
17. israel unaffprdable for tourists
sydney ,   buffalo, usa   (03.13.13)
not only is israel unaffordable for tourists, its unaffordable for jews of modest means. forget n'fesh b n'fesh, forget the government for helping you. young adults from western countries who have made aliyah are living on the streets.
18. I agree with this articule 100%
Yuval ,   Panama City, Panama   (03.14.13)
I'm actually now staying in my brothers house in Bat Yam, also last time in January, Last year I got here to work with a company in Herzelia, it was the first time in my life (this is probably my 20th visit to Israel since I left when I was 7) that I stayed at a Hotel in Israel. Now I didn't pay the bill but I saw what my client was paying, I got a suite in the "Shezan" in Daniel, and the service is the worst I've had in my Life. Got to the hotel, checked in and took me 15 minutes to figure out how to get to my room and get there. One day at about 8, working from my room, I got hungry, I called the room service, no one answered. Called again and got an answer from the security of the hotel, WTF?? Asked them to get me to the room service and with no avail. Called again and finally got to talk to someone. Got my food 40 minutes after that and 2 hours after they call me again from room service after I fell asleep to ask me if I wanted something because of the previous call. The rudeness of Israelis driving is amazing, I mean, I come from Panama, it's a jungle and I expect it, but here it's to stressful. Today I was driving toward Ashdod for a wedding, 3 lanes, full traffic, and this a-hole is on my back, flicking his flash light and honking for me to move, without any reason, I mean, I have dozens of cars in front of me, where does he think he'll get faster. Now don't get me wrong, I love this country, I've been living in Panama since I was 7 years old, and I'm still considering moving back, it's what I always wanted. But the Israeli mentality makes it so hard. In Panama, everybody is not that smart, it is after all a 3rd world country, here everybody thinks there smarter then the other, but the end result is worst then any country I've ever been. I still have hope that this country can go back to the old country it used to be, bot not in the foreseeable feature. TLDR; Love this country, hate this country, it's like a women, can't live with them, can't leave without them...
19. Israel and tourism
Colombia   (03.14.13)
Roads, 54th place??? No way. The roads in Israel are fantastic!!! If all the information is of the same quality, I cannot imagine it is correct.
20. But the Galus has Billioniers
Zechariah   (03.14.13)
The Galus has billionaires that live in huge mansions and have Yaughts and Expensive Cars and Take Trips .Many give Generously .but the challenges are severe and soon the Jews in Israel will need extra Help.
21. Visiting Israel experience
Rhonda ,   Chicago, USA   (03.14.13)
I found the people to be warm, friendly and helpful. Hotels were ok, old, needing updated and the rating system not the equivalent of something similar in the US but I sort of held the hotel chain responsible for that. I've loved it when I was in Israel. It is scary to be on a highway there but so are the Kennedy, Edens and other expressways in Chicago!
22. So true.
SD Charger ,   San Diego   (03.14.13)
Paying 3x the price for something, just because it is located in the Holy Land, does NOT make very good economical sense. The world is hurting these days with the worldwide currency system now in place. People can not afford holidays like we used to. Egypt has taken a huge hit on their tourist attractions as well, but for a different reason altogether.
23. rude manners
eva goldschmidt ,   frankfurt am main   (03.14.13)
Some Israelis have not yet realized that Israel is just one among many tourist destinations. Many countries offer sunshine, coastline and cultural heritage for sightseeing. In contrast to Israel the people are inside and outside the hotels friendly and helpful. Shrugging shoulders instead of an answer is perceived outside of Israel as rude behavior. It is a social/educational problem. The decreasing numbers of tourists is just a symptom.
24. Affordability for tourists
Irene ,   Provincetown, MA, US   (03.14.13)
I have visited twice in the past 3 years and found it affordable (I'm not wealthy by a long shot). Some folks were friendly, some not. People in Tsfat were the friendliest of the places I visited.
25. Are you telling me something NEW?
Sam Sweiry ,   Eastbourne - UK   (03.14.13)
Why come to Israel? - to see My Family and Friends. Do you call that a Holiday? - For years trying to reason with myself Shall I holiday in Eilat or go on a Cruise - Cruise beat me hands down every time - Why? - I love food and I can have plenty of that on the ship at 5* Standard without breaking the bank - Besides I visit different countries and see the world from the confort of my own cabin without packing and unpacking - as for entretainment and making friends - Give me the Cruise any time
26. 23
(03.15.13)
tourism doubled in israel during 2012,2013, not decreased as you claim.
27. More information needed!
Christian ,   Finland   (03.15.13)
I have not noticed any poor attitude in Israel - quite opposite. I have met many friendly people ; Jews and Arabs! Some prices have been quite high though. I now that many people in my country thinks - that it's too dangerous to travel to Israel - even if they dream to see all the places descriped in the Bible. They have watched the news and falsely think that there are huge riots in everywere and all the time etc.
28. Give me back all inclusive package
Sam Sweiry ,   Eastbourne - UK   (07.01.13)
Oh! yes - those were the good old days when we can take all inclusive holiday in Israel and support the Israeli economy - This is almost disapeared from Israeli Hotel Menues - I ask - would you like to see full occupancy hotels buzzing with tourists on all inclusive or have almost empty hotels because people cant afford - look at the cruising industry - they all come to realise - to entice customers = they have to give a little bit more on board - Israeli Hoteliers - Wake Up
29. Tourist trap
Dennis ,   Nj usa   (07.10.13)
My list of complaints can go on nd on, but mainly: High priced lousy hotels Serious lack of decent service ANYWHERE filthy rent a car from BUDGET, full of junk from last renter Serious lack of thought for decent parking ANYWHERE. when tere s parking, it's usually full, and cramped. Restaurant service subpar, not that clean, and not cheap...but food so far decent. Rude hotel staff ( Fattal) when I questioned my rate against one I just saw in Expedia Tourist sites (mt of beatitudes) closed late morning till late afternoon, presumably for a siesta. Etc., etc. Came here for. Family wedding. Last trip here EVER, for sure. I'll spend my vacation dollars more wisely in Europe, where flights are roughly 40% cheaper:
Back to article