“It’s not a threat but out of distress”

The Hotels Association Council issued a call to the government yesterday (Tuesday): “If you do not immediately agree with us on a deadline for opening hotels throughout the country – the hotels will open as early as next week. The industry is suffocated and we can no longer live in uncertainty.”

Amir Haik, president of the Hotels Association, was interviewed at the Ynet studio this morning, explaining that this is not a threat: “We are talking out of a situation of distress and not out of a desire to do something to anyone. Therefore, many hotels – out of distress – will open their doors soon.”

Hayek added, “We hear how our government is doing. After the great disgrace that was in Dubai, where parties, celebrations, conferences, performances were allowed and we hear how the government is now sending to Greece with agreements of one kind or another and with blind eyes, we do not believe we see it.”

Asked if it would not be better to wait a little longer with the opening so as not to do damage, Hayek replied: “We are debating this question all the time. The hotels that will be opened are open from distress to keep our heads above water. Although the Ministry of Health and Tourism “It’s an industry that has been and still is and still is. We are no longer capable.”

“We are preparing to see how to open according to the purple sign or the green passport so that we can open. In the end what are hotels? Operation operation and operation. We will know how to operate and do everything according to Ministry of Health guidelines. But at the moment it will be hotels only. From any residential building in Tel Aviv, “Haik said sadly and knowing that this was not an ideal vacation or what he would like the hotels to offer guests.

“We do not operate in an ideal world but in a world that has a plague. We have a great responsibility to our guests and employees so that is what it will be at the moment, unless we can open according to a green passport. We are in a very very difficult situation. It is an industry in which billions have been invested. “Like releasing a bicycle tied to a tree, it takes ten days, ordering food and preparation, recruiting employees and more.”

Haik noted the costs and losses the industry experienced during the crisis: “During the past year, the industry’s revenues were cut by a sharp 66 percent. The industry, whose gates are still closed to the public, began 2021 with a revenue loss of about 1.5 billion shekels. After losses of eight billion shekels. 2020. In addition, it is important to understand that when we close – our cost is NIS 130 million a month when the hotels in the country are closed, I emphasize. “

Regarding the prices expected to be in hotels, especially in light of the B&B prices that opened this week – where we saw a massive increase, Haik replied that he offers consumers to check well where they book and hinted that hoteliers, unlike B&B owners, will not raise prices.

“I very much hope not (raise prices). I know hoteliers have taken 2019 prices as the only target and deducted 20 percent from them. I do not know a single hotel owner who wants to see one empty room in his hotel and we are not B & Bs with three or four rooms, we are talking about Hotels, some with 20 rooms and some with 200 and 400 rooms. “

Lior Raviv, CEO of the Isrotel chain, told Ynet that the prices of the chain’s hotels will fall by 20 percent in the coming period until March. “” Following the opening of the B & Bs last Sunday, Isrotel is opening a limited number of hotels in a room format, based on room only, without Public areas.

“We hope that the opening of the hotels in the B&B format will encourage the government to establish an outline as soon as possible for the full opening of all hotels in the country using the green passport,” said Raviv, adding that starting tomorrow and gradually and in a controlled manner, some chain hotels will be opened. “Since last week, there has been a 50 percent increase in bookings for all the chain’s hotels.”

Prices are currently available for hotels in Genesis and Kedma for February, starting at NIS 798. In March at Mitzpe Hayamim, prices can be obtained starting at NIS 1,335. Prices are per couple on a breakfast basis.

The Isrotel chain has announced that it will open the new Kedma Hotel in Sde Boker, the Bereishit Hotel and the Road Inn Hotel in Mitzpe Ramon tomorrow. Next Wednesday, the Mitzpe Hayamim Hotel will open and in two weeks, the Carmel Forest and Vineyards hotels will open. When all hotels, except Ramon Inn which most rooms have a kitchenette, guests will receive in-room food and spa treatments will be open.

The Nakash Group in Israel also announces that this coming Thursday, 11.2.21, four hotels of the chain will be open in rooms only.

Stay Kinneret Hotels, Herbert Samuel Beit in the Galilee, Herbert Samuel Ocean Herzliya and Orchid Tel Aviv – will operate as a short-term residential alternative without operating common facilities such as: dining room, pool, spa, gym and the like.

Meanwhile, the Dan hotel chain, which will probably not open its hotels next week, joins the national effort to promote the corona virus vaccination campaign and announces today that guests who present a vaccine certificate will receive a NIS 200 benefit per room for extras at the hotel during March-April – not including Passover .

Ronen Nissenbaum, CEO of Dan Hotels, said: “The Dan hotel chain immediately mobilized for the national effort in the war against the corona and now we are mobilizing to promote the vaccination campaign against the corona virus and offer a benefit to vaccinated customers who book a vacation and to employees who are vaccinated. We believe that the more the Israeli public is vaccinated, the better option for the State of Israel to get out of the corona crisis in general and the hotel industry to stay open and overcome the difficult period