Israel and Turkey Tensions Affect Tourism
Post-flotilla, Turkey is seething at Israel and Israel is furious with Turkey. Friction between the two nation’s politicians is higher than ever, and in both countries shoppers are boycotting goods from the other (Turkish coffee is currently having a Freedom Fries moment in Israel). But there seems to be one winner in all the tension – the Israeli tourist industry.
In recent years Turkey has been an exceedingly popular tourist destination for Israelis. But now the government is advising people not to travel, saying it’s not safe. It has launched a campaign promoting “staycations”.
This comes on the heels of unrest in another popular tourist spot for Israelis, Thailand, which has put many off visiting. How long before somebody comes up with a conspiracy theory claiming that Israeli hoteliers are behind Turkey-Israel tensions and Thai unrest?
As Israelis are set to stay put, more people are coming to Israel. According to Tourism Ministry figures 317,000 tourists visited Israel in April 2010 – an all-time record for the month of April (perhaps, Sarah Palin’s “flocking” comment wasn’t so far off).
This is a moment of great uncertainty. Here’s what you can do about it.
We hope you appreciated this article. Before you go, we’d like to ask you to please support the Forward’s independent Jewish news. All donations are still being matched by the Forward Board - up to $100,000 until April 24.
This is a moment of great uncertainty for the news media, for the Jewish people, and for our sacred democracy. It is a time of confusion and declining trust in public institutions. An era in which we need humans to report facts, conduct investigations that hold power to account, tell stories that matter and share honest discourse on all that divides us.
With no paywall or subscriptions, the Forward is entirely supported by readers like you. Every dollar you give is invested in the future of the Forward — and telling the American Jewish story fully and fairly.
The Forward doesn’t rely on funding from institutions like governments or your local Jewish federation. There are thousands of readers like you who give us $18 or $36 or $100 each month or year.
Support our mission to tell the Jewish story fully and fairly.
