Unyaka ka-2009 cishe uzophela ngenani eliphelele labavakashi ababalelwa ezigidini ezingu-2.5 abangene kwa-Israel - okuyisibalo, ngokudumala kwabanikazi bamahhotela namalungu emboni yezokuvakasha, sifana kakhulu nalezo eziqoshwa minyaka yonke kule minyaka eyishumi edlule. Ngamanye amazwi, ezokuvakasha kwa-Israel sezifinyelele ithafa.
Ezinyangeni ezimbalwa ezedlule, ngenkathi uNdunankulu uBenjamin Netanyahu ezama ukuhlanganisa umfelandawonye, i-Israel's Hotel Association (IHA) yethula isethulo esivule ngesicelo esithi, "Mnu. UNdunankulu, kukhona ingcebo efihliwe kwa-Israyeli. Lesi isisetshenziswa esisekude nokuthuthukiswa, esiwusizo futhi esingaba khona, insiza engakhuphula ukukhula nokuqashwa - ezokuvakasha!”
Kodwa igama likaNetanyahu alizange lithuthukise ezokuvakasha, naphezu kokwanda kwezabelomali zokukhangisa phesheya kanye nenani elikhulu lakwa-Israyeli lezenkolo, imivubukulo nemvelo, izivakashi ezikhangayo.
Esinye isizathu salokhu ukuthi izivakashi ngokuvamile zifuna izindawo ezinokuthula. Ngakho-ke, izimpi nokuhlasela kwamaphekula kugcina izivakashi zizibuza ukuthi ngabe i-Israel izobe iphephile yini ngesikhathi seholide labo elihleliwe, futhi abaningi bayakuyeka ukuvakasha.
Idatha evela ku-Central Bureau of Statistics ibonisa umonakalo owenziwe ukungazinzi kwesifunda embonini yezokuvakasha kwa-Israel. Ngo-1999 izivakashi ezingaphezu kwezigidi ezingu-2.5 zavakashela i-Israel zivela phesheya, futhi ezinyangeni eziyisishiyagalolunye zokuqala zika-2000 kwaba yizigidi ezingu-2.6 ezingenele.
Kodwa-ke, ngo-Okthoba ka-2000, lapho kuqubuka izibhelu ze-Intifada yesibili kanye nezibhelu zendawo zama-Arab, ezokuvakasha kwa-Israel zamiswa ngokuphelele. Ngo-2001, inani labangenele lalingu-1.2 million kancane. Njengoba ukungazinzi kukapakela ku-2002, inani labangenele lehlehla, futhi abantu abayizi-882,000 kuphela abavakashela i-Israel ngalowo nyaka.
U-Ami Etgar, oyi-CEO ye-Israel Incoming Tour Operators Association (IITOA), uthi nakuba izinkinga zokuphepha ziyisithiyo esikhulu embonini yezokuvakasha, ezinye izici zenza kube nzima ngamaqembu amakhulu ukuvakashela kwa-Israel.
“Kwa-Israel cishe awekho amahhotela omhlaba wonke ngenxa yokuthi osomabhizinisi baphesheya abathandi ukutshala imali (ezweni),” usho kanje. U-Etgar uthi kumele kudlule iminyaka embalwa enokuthula ukuze kuhehe abatshalizimali. “Kodwa iningi labo (osomabhizinisi) badinga usizo ekususeni izithiyo ezibekiwe,” usho kanje.
Esinye isithiyo kwezokuvakasha ezingenayo uMnyango Wezangaphakathi, kusho u-Etgar. “Emasontweni ambalwa edlule iqembu losomabhizinisi abangu-15 bekufanele lifike lapha livela eTurkey,” uyalandisa. “Inkampani yabo yezokuvakasha yayifuna ukubatholela ama-visa akwa-Israel, kodwa uMnyango Wezangaphakathi wafuna idiphozithi engu-NIS 50,000 ($13,200).
Esinye isici sezezimali siphinde sibangele izinkinga emaqenjini amakhulu - okungukuthi amanani entengo aphezulu akhokhiswa amahhotela. Ngenxa yokuthi amaqembu amaningi abuye avakashele eJordani nase-Egypt phakathi nokuvakasha kwawo, akhetha ukuchitha ubusuku kula mazwe, lapho ukungenisa izihambi kushibhile khona.
U-Etgar uthi: “Ngo-1987 kwafika izivakashi eziyizigidi ezingu-1.5 kwa-Israel, futhi kwaqoshwa inani lezindawo zokuhlala emahhotela eziyizigidi ezingu-8.3. “Ngo-2009 kuzoba nezivakashi ezingaba ngu-2.5 million ezizofika, kodwa isibalo samahhotela ngeke sidlule ku-8 million. Lokhu kusho lukhulu.”
