Israeli unions to end boycott of Turkish vacations: report

ISTANBUL

Israeli unions are ending their four-year boycott of tourism to Turkey, which was sparked by an abrupt worsening of Israeli-Turkish relations, daily Haaretz reports.

The unions subsidize and promote a significant share of Israeli tourism within and outside the country. Over 250,000 Israeli workers and their families can be expected to vacation in Turkey this summer, according to a recent survey by Vaadim, a company that provides information on Israeli unions’ economic and social affairs.

The union’s new stance may also encourage other Israelis to return to Turkey, where resort areas like Antalya, Bodrum and Marmaris are popular destinations. Airlines operating out of Israeli certainly hope so. In 2008, over 500,000 Israelis vacationed in Turkey.

“The return of the unions to Turkey will dictate more competitive vacation prices to Israeli hoteliers, even during peak seasons,” said Yaakov Alush, the CEO of Vaadim.

Read the rest of this story on Haaretz.