UK adds Tel Aviv to travel risk list after attack
Following Tel Aviv shooting attack, British Foreign Office issues an updated travel warning which warns its citizens to be vigilant when using public transport in the city; tourism has dropped considerably since the start of the current terror wave.
The Foreign Office's issued a statement saying that "an attack in central Tel Aviv on 1 January by an assailant using an automatic weapon has caused a number of casualties. If in the area, you should remain vigilant and follow the advice of the security forces.
"Take extra care and be vigilant when using public transport in Tel Aviv, in particular at transport hubs, and when using buses in the greater Tel Aviv area. You may wish to consider using other forms of transport."
With regards to the general security situation in Israel, the British Foreign Office states that "there are ongoing violent incidents in Israel and the West Bank, including Tel Aviv, East Jerusalem and the Old City. There have been numerous stabbing, shooting, arson and stone throwing attacks on people and vehicles, as well as violent clashes between protestors and Israeli security forces. There’s a risk that tourists or bystanders could be caught up in any incident. You should be vigilant at all times.
"There have been a number of violent incidents on public transport and near public transport lines in Jerusalem. You should avoid using buses in Jerusalem."
Meanwhile the US Embassy in Tel Aviv issued a travel warning update to American citizens residing in Israel on December 30, warning against the possibility of a terrorist attack by "a lone attacker," but did not issue an updated warning following the Tel Aviv attack.
The US Embassy's website states that "the security situation can change day to day, depending on the political situation, recent events, and geographic area. A rise in political tensions and violence in Jerusalem and the West Bank has resulted in injuries to and deaths of US citizens. The Government of Israel and the Palestinian Authority both make considerable efforts to police major tourist attractions and ensure security in areas where foreigners frequently travel. Although these efforts to reduce the threat are not 100 percent effective, hundreds of thousands of US citizens safely visit Israel and the West Bank each year for study, tourism, and business."
Sharp drop in tourism
Israeli tour operators are trying to gauge the impact of the Tel Aviv attack on tourism, but noted that many countries around the world have issued warnings against terrorist attacks.
Tour Operators Association director, Yossi Fattal, said: "The whole world is now in hysteria about terrorism, so we are just a small part of all this commotion. It is clear that this incident will not have a positive effect on tourism, but is still not clear how much of a negative effect it will have. In any case, we are currently preparing to welcome 150 travel agents and opinion leaders from abroad and hope in this manner to stop a decrease in tourism."
Data on tourist arrivals to Israel in November show that the current terror significantly affected the influx of tourists to Israel from many European countries as compared to November 2013 (November 2014 was affected by Operation Protective Edge, making it a bad month to use for making comparisons).
According to the data of the statistics department of the Ministry of Tourism, in November there was a drop of 58 percent in tourist arrivals from Italy, 45 percent from Finland, 36 percent from Germany, 59 percent from Russia, 24 percent from France and 18 percent from the Netherlands.
