Missions: Impossible

In a message dated Oct. 12, the State Department posted a public announcement on its official Web site warning American travelers to demonstrate caution when traveling to global hot spots such as Israel and Yemen. It states that “anti-American demonstrations continue to take place in countries throughout the world in response to tensions and violence in the Middle East. Some of these demonstrations have become violent and difficult for local authorities to control.” The bulletin goes into further detail suggesting cautionary protocol for American citizens traveling to these destinations.

The U.S. Government is not alone in its reaction to recent events in the Middle East. Many American Jewish travelers, including Angelenos, are thinking twice about visiting Israel. And this trend, at least in the short term, is affecting the travel business, especially agencies dependent on a high volume of tickets and tour packages to Israel.

Ron Abrams, vice president of Abrams Travel in Manhattan, told The Journal that Israel constitutes 80 percent of its travel packages.

“In the short term, we didn’t feel that it was safe for people to travel. Yes, that hurts us,” said Abrams. “In the longer term, we are still signing people up for next year, probably at a slower rate, but it’s still happening.” Abrams added that rather than canceling their trips for the November and December travel period, many are rescheduling them for next year.

Abrams added, “No matter what the situation becomes, as long as there’s some resolution, things will get back on track, but if there’s a drawn-out situation on hostilities, that won’t happen.”

The Israel Travel Advisory Service (ITAS), which has been arranging tours sending families and adults to Israel for more than 30 years, has felt the dent in business.

“Unfortunately, we had a trip due to travel yesterday, and we had to cancel the trip,” said Carolyn Hershon, vice president of operations at the New Jersey-based ITAS. “Everybody got a refund.”

Hershon has no choice but to remain optimistic: “In the life of Israel, a day is a long time and hopefully the situation will be overcome, and people will be able to go.”

“A lot of people are canceling. But surprisingly, a lot of people want to go back to show support for our country,” said Karin Tubul at the Burbank-based World Express Travel, wholesalers who act as consolidators for El Al Israel Airlines. She knew several young Israelis living in L.A. who returned to Israel because “some want to join [the] army.” Tubul, an Israeli, said that many canceling their plans are American Jews, although she admits that she herself has no desire to go to Israel right now.

Meanwhile, El Al itself is offering refunds for flights to Israel scheduled through Oct. 31. According to spokeswoman Laurie Samet, passengers may request either a full refund without penalty or a voucher for future travel, good for one year, plus a $30 coupon toward a new ticket.

Samet said, “We are getting cancellations, without a doubt, but it’s not dramatic. Our flights are going out 75 to 80 percent of what was booked. Normally, flights are booked fully.”

Smaller, independent agencies around town also have felt an impact from the change of political climate abroad.

“I’m getting no calls now for the Middle East,” said Dennis Yellen, who runs Empire Tour and Travel near downtown L.A.

Yossi Nieman, owner of Jerusalem Tours, told the Journal that 80 percent of his clientele is comprised of Orthodox families.

“I did have some cancellations before the holidays but I would say that if the Orthodox people decide to go, it really won’t stop them from going,” said Nieman, who points out that on one day during the Sukkot holidays, nearly 10,000 people showed up at the Kotel.

Also feeling the fallout of the Middle East crisis are organized Jewish community missions. The United Jewish Communities (UJC), parent organization of the nation’s Jewish federations, has postponed all but one solidarity mission to Israel for October due to participant cancellations. Nechemia Dagan, executive director of UJC overseas programs and missions, understands the current situation.

“It’s troubled here,” said Dagan. “If you are from L.A. and there are riots, you stay because it’s your home. But if you are scheduling a visit from New York to L.A. and there are riots, you will reschedule it.”

As of press time, Birthright Israel organizers said that this winter’s crop of 7,500 college-age North Americans selected for a 10-day stay abroad are still scheduled to participate in December and January.Ultimately, Abrams believed that the tension might become a catalyst for future travel revenue. Adrea Steinberg, chair of Young Judea’s seaboard region, reported that the 165 North American children currently in Israel taking part in a yearlong program have been issued new restrictions and precautions on group and individual travel.

“In the end it may have a positive effect in that many Americans – both Christian and Jewish – blame the Palestinian Authority for the violence and may show their support for Israel,” said Abrams, who based this information on people he talks to. For now, Abrams explained that his agency will ride out the furor by practicing some “fiscal conservatism” and concentrating on its travel packages to Europe. But he pointed out that as a travel destination, “Israel is a unique place. It’s not as if Hawaii had a problem and I could just send people to another island.”

Ultimately, he felt optimistic that business will endure the current season of political unrest. Said Abrams, “We’ve been there before.”

For further information on travel and safety protocol to the Middle East, go to the State Department’s official Web site at www.state.gov. American citizens who have concerns for U.S. citizen family members currently in the region should contact the State Department’s Task Force at (202) 647-0900.