"Whirlwind Tourism": Israelis Flock to Short Vacations in Europe

"Israir's investment in hotels in Greece is skyrocketing this week with the addition of Israir's flagship hotel, Chanita Kerenis, to the collection of luxury hotels of the CURIO brand from Hilton," said Israir CEO Uri Serkes at the partnership launch event between the Brown Hotel chain and Hilton Hotels.

The partnership agreement between the two networks was announced at a press conference with many participants on the rooftop of the Brown Acropol Hotel, overlooking Constitution Square in the heart of Athens. Brown Hotels, where Israeli guests make up about 30% of their clientele, took a significant step this week in branding through collaboration with the luxury Hilton hotel chain. The collaboration begins with two vacation sites of the Brown Group in Greece - Isla Brown Corintha Resort & Spa in the Greek Riviera and Isla Brown Chanita Resort in Kerenis.

The two hotels were chosen by the global Hilton chain to be part of their luxury CURIO COLLECTION BY HILTON brand. As part of the flight and vacation packages strategy, Israir has a 25% stake in five Brown Hotels in Greece operated by the chain - four in Athens and an additional hotel near the picturesque city of Chanita on the island of Kerenis.

During my visit to the hotel chain in Hania in the summer and this week in Athens, it was noticeable that tourism from Israel to Greece is growing and expected to accelerate due to the search for short destinations as an alternative to Turkey.

Cyrus also noted that the hotel in Hania, which is currently undergoing extensive renovations, is planned to open in May with an additional 50 rooms, three restaurants, a private beach, and a large spa.

"Hilton has over 173 million members of the network, generating about 60% of the revenue. The integration of the hotel into the global network will affect the property price, the prices of accommodations and profitability. Israir is pleased with the partnership with Brown Hotels, as partners in the Isla Bron Hania Resort vacation sites and as the only Israeli airline that launched the flight route from Tel Aviv to Hania and back. We believe that cooperation with the Hilton network will increase the sales potential among our passengers and new audiences and increase the attractiveness of the luxury vacation resort," he said at an event held in Athens.

Patrick Fitzgibbon, Senior Vice President of Hilton for Development in Europe, the Middle East, and Africa, stated at the press conference, "We are focusing on our ongoing growth in Greece, with plans to triple our presence in the country in the coming years. The high demand for resort hotels, both among property owners and guests, has helped us enter new destinations throughout the region. We are pleased to include these hotels in our portfolio from the near future."

Leon Avigad, founder and co-owner of Brown Hotels, also stated, "We are excited to announce our collaboration with the global Hilton network and the inclusion of two of our resorts in their prestigious collection. Both hotels, like the Brown Hotels brand itself, have passed Hilton's rigorous reviews and meet the company's high international standards. The collaboration with the international Hilton network and the CURIO collection is a great achievement for Brown Hotels."

Meanwhile, Yisrair notes that there is an increasing trend of "fan tourism" with Israelis going on short vacations to nearby European destinations.

"We are seeing a phenomenon of 'fan tourism,' where more and more Israelis are going on short vacations abroad," said Hila Harel-Ronen, Vice President of Marketing and Sales at Yisrair. According to her, "fan tourism" started about three and a half months after the outbreak of the Iron Dome conflict and has recently gained momentum.

"The trend started during Hanukkah, after the ceasefire on October 7th. Israelis started going abroad to 'get some fresh air' following the war. Some of them are reservists who have been released," she explains, and highlights three prominent characteristics of "fan tourism" at Yisrair: short flights, destinations where Israelis feel safer and more comfortable, and lower prices.

"We appreciate that the phenomenon will continue to gain momentum, and in order to allow orders for Passover and the summer holiday season, we have launched an operation that offers the option to purchase packages until the end of the month, between April and August, with the ability to cancel for any reason up to 14 days before the flight," she says. "Due to the lack of certainty regarding the continuation of the war, there are those who are hesitant to book in advance, and the option to cancel is intended to provide them with a solution."

Harmoulin-Ronen estimates that after the war, Israelis will gradually return to flying in large numbers for vacations abroad. "Even after the crisis of the coronavirus, there was a surge in the number of people going on vacations abroad," she recalls.

Harmoulin-Ronen further estimates that in light of the suspension of flights to Turkey, which was a popular tourist destination and a leading one until the outbreak of the war, the new popular vacation destinations are Greece - Athens, Rhodes, Crete, and other islands; Cyprus, Montenegro, Verona, Burgas, and Sofia in Bulgaria, and Batumi in Georgia.