Israel - 200,000 Tourists To Be Lost Due To Outbreak Of Violence

Israel - Confirming the fears of the tourism industry since the outbreak of violence in the North earlier this month, the Israel Airports Authority said arrivals at Ben-Gurion Airport fell 5 percent over the first three weeks of July, while industry professionals are estimating some 200,000 tourists will be lost in July and August.

Approximately half of the travelers with immediate plans to come to Israel had cancelled their trips, according to the director general of the Israel Travel Agents Association.
IAA spokesperson Orly Maman noted, however, that the statistics also were influenced this year by the three-week period before Tisha B'Av, a typically slower time for travel to Israel, particularly among the orthodox Jewish community, whereas last year the period started on July 24.
"Taking this into account, we estimate a drop of just over 3% as a direct result of the war," Maman said.