• cosmicrookie@lemmy.world
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    2 days ago

    I am not doubting, but I am surprised that the article does not even mention Israel. I can’t see their tourism growing this year

    • Samskara@sh.itjust.works
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      14 hours ago

      Israel‘s tourism is in a pretty bad slump. https://www.jpost.com/israel-news/article-859360

      About 250,000 people in Israel work in the tourism industry, and tourism makes up 2.8% of the Israeli economy, Aronson said. She noted that 2019 was the record year for incoming tourism, with 4.6 million tourists. In 2024, there were about 1 million tourists, and 2025 will probably see about 1.3 million by the end of the year.

      According to Ben Ari, one reason tourists don’t come is that they can’t get travel insurance for Israel.

      People from countries that have warnings about traveling to Israel can’t get insurance, Aronson said. She added that the ministry is working with foreign governments to reduce travel warnings.

    • bassomitron@lemmy.world
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      2 days ago

      I’m equally perplexed. So tourism to places like North Korea or places in active war like Libya or South Sudan have gone up?

      • Lost_My_Mind@lemmy.world
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        2 days ago

        During the civil war in the usa in the 1800s, locals would leave their house, bring a blanket, and a picnic basket. They would sit on top of a hill, and watch the battle, like it was entertainment.

        Maybe that’s making a comeback?

        • bassomitron@lemmy.world
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          1 day ago

          Yeah, in fairness, NK would make more sense, tbh. It’s been so closed off for so long, that it increasing tourism after opening to it a few years back isn’t that surprising. But my point still stands regarding other countries that are extremely dangerous/even worse than the US in terms of safety.

      • chunes@lemmy.world
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        2 days ago

        But if we included those countries we wouldn’t be able to condemn America with our shocking but false headline.

        • kerntucky@infosec.pub
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          15 hours ago

          I don’t have exact numbers so I’ll make up a few to illustrate why you may be wrong about the headline.

          Imagine the tourism levels in the USA were at 70% at the beginning of the year and now they’re at 30%. That’s a 40% decrease in tourism.

          Now imagine the tourism levels in South Sudan were at 2% at the beginning of the year (keep in mind they’re an active war zone) and they’re at 1% now. That’s only a 1% decrease.

          Now do you see how the USA could have the largest decrease in tourism this year?

    • Tarquinn2049@lemmy.world
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      2 days ago

      To be fair, hard to decline when it’s already low. Even if they did include Israel or other countries mentioned in the replies, it’s still totally possible their tourism isn’t lower this year than last. Especially places where it was already pretty much 0 or statistically insignificant. Not declining doesn’t mean it went up, just means it’s at least the same percentage it was last year.

    • MrMakabar@slrpnk.net
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      2 days ago

      Israel has had a ceasefire for a bit. Unlike last year, when it was fighting all the time.

      • cosmicrookie@lemmy.world
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        1 day ago

        But I don’t remember their airports being closed last year, like they have this time. Last year they were bombing the sh#t out of Gaza. This year they have had some hits themselves.

        Personally, I’d have thought that Israel itself would have been a more dangerous place this year than last

        • Samskara@sh.itjust.works
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          14 hours ago

          The airports were only closed for like two weeks during the war against Iran.

          That said. I know two people who have visited friends in Israel this year. Only one of them had to go a shelter.

        • MrMakabar@slrpnk.net
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          1 day ago

          June saw a 42% collapse due to airport closures. The probably more important number is that 2023 tourism was more then three times higher then it was this year.