SPECIAL FEATURE
AGENTS’ FAM TRIP FEEDBACK
Chloe Kirk, sales consultant, Thomas Cook, Doncaster “My advice would be to go to Israel
Eilat
Fam trip agents in Tel Aviv
In brief: Monarch’s Israel programme
WHY GO? w Climate: Hot temperatures from March to November.
w Variety of product: Resort package holiday (Eilat); city break (Tel Aviv); and cultural (Jerusalem is just over an hour’s drive from Tel Aviv).
WHEN DOES MONARCH FLY? w Luton-Tel Aviv: Three times a week, year-round.
w Luton-Ovda (for Eilat): Once a week during winter.
w Manchester-Tel Aviv: Three times a week during summer.
BEST FOR FAMILIES? w Eilat: Most hotels have good children’s facilities – play areas, toddler pools and childminders.
SAMPLE PACKAGES w Tel Aviv: £319 for four nights at the three-star Golden Beach Tel Aviv Hotel, including flights from Luton (£289 for three nights from Manchester).
w Eilat: £395 for seven nights at the Nova Like Hotel, including flights from Luton.
‘Safety concerns are the biggest challenge’
Safety fears remain the “number-one challenge” in attracting tourists to Israel, Tel Aviv’s tourism chief admits. Despite this, UK visitors to the country have increased. In 2015, 200,000 Brits travelled to Israel, up from 180,000 in 2014, making it the fifth-biggest market. This year the country hopes to
welcome 220,000 UK tourists. Isaac Mizrachi, tourism director
at Tel Aviv Global, said: “The media normally shows the story in a certain way that isn’t necessarily what you see on the streets. So for tourists it’s hard to consider and choose Tel Aviv as a destination. “Safety is probably the number- one challenge: the perception is that it’s not a safe place.” Major works currently going on in the city include widening the promenade and developing new facilities such as a beach library and two pavilions. Mizrachi hopes these upgrades,
as well as the city’s Pride festival and niche attractions such as its vegan festival in September, will draw more UK visitors, but admits the country’s tourism authorities have their work cut out.
“It’s safe in Tel Aviv and we try to communicate that as much as we can”
Last month a bomb explosion on a bus in Jerusalem – just 36 miles away – injured 21 people. It followed months of violence in Israel and the Palestinian territories that has seen 183 Palestinians and 28 Israelis killed since October. Mizrachi said: “Of course, it’s
very sad. It’s a terrorist attack. On the other hand, this happens all the time around the world. The question is, should we stop and reassess every time it happens? Should the US stop every time there is a massacre in a shopping mall? But because [those attacks] are not terrorism, the US is seen as less dangerous and less risky.” He stressed that crime rates
were very low in Tel Aviv. “There are dangerous places in Israel but it’s safe in Tel Aviv and we try to communicate that as much as we can,” he said. “Sometimes we succeed and sometimes we don’t.”
with an open mind because everywhere is very different depending where you go. It was the opposite to what I thought, and that’s in a good way. I would say Tel Aviv is a city break and Eilat is a week’s holiday. I’d definitely sell it as a winter-sun destination.”
Tracy Mendelsson, sales consultant, Travelink, Hendon “I was really surprised by how modern
the hotels were and how Tel Aviv has developed into such a lively destination and a great jumping off point to visit the rest of Israel. Eilat is a good winter-sun destination and offers great diving and food.”
Mike Moran, partner, Moran Travel, Louth, Lincs “Tel Aviv was my favourite place as a city to come to for a few
days. I’d say be prepared for heavy security at the airport but the general perception of Israel is not necessarily true. I would have no hesitation selling it but you need to check the local situation and the FCO advice.”
12 May 2016
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