Sea of Galilee Tourism Defies Amoeba Fears With Full Holiday Occupancy

Tourism Around the Sea of Galilee Holds Steady Amid Amoeba Reports

Against the backdrop of reports regarding the presence of an amoeba in the water and the resulting postponement of the annual Sea of Galilee swim, the tourism industry in the Kineret region presents a complex picture. While some estimate that cancellations have reached up to 30% on the eve of the holiday, this figure has not been confirmed by any official source. Hotels and holiday villages contacted by reporters present a completely different picture, reporting that their occupancy currently stands at around 99%, as well as for the upcoming Tishrei holidays.

Business owners and hotel managers in the area point to ongoing exhaustion following the events of recent years. Doron Bichler, CEO of the Maagan Eden holiday village, says:

"Since 2020, I have been managing a continuous crisis — COVID-19, the wars, and evacuees who stayed with us for a year and a half. We are used to taking hits and getting back up."

According to Bichler, despite rumors and questions from concerned guests, his occupancy for Rosh Hashanah is almost completely full at 99%.

"People are worried and calling, but in the end, the guests arrive. We have a pool alternative, but there are also quite a few vacationers who continue to enter the Kineret as usual and are not fazed by the reports," he said.

Hotels Report Full Occupancy Despite Concerns

Avi Zandberg, a veteran hotelier from Tiberias, also testifies that he has not experienced cancellations due to the issue.

"I was in contact with guests this morning, they said they are coming down to the Kineret as usual and as far as they are concerned nothing has changed. People do not look panicked. We also have a swimming pool and at our Astoria Hotel, there is full occupancy," he said.

Among figures in the area, criticism is heard regarding "unnecessary hysteria." Experts and professionals who spoke on the matter, including Prof. Moshe Gophen, former director of the Kineret Limnological Laboratory, noted that the chance of the amoeba surviving in open water with western winds in the Kineret is negligible, and that the conditions for its development require exceptionally high water temperatures above 34 degrees Celsius.

Despite the challenges, tourism operators and regional council heads in the north are calling on the Israeli public to continue visiting and supporting local businesses.