Hundreds of Israeli tourists who came to vacation in Bulgaria remain stranded in Bulgaria due to canceled flights to and from Israel, BNT reported. Some are already extending their stay in hotels, others are looking for alternatives. The Israeli Embassy and the Bulgarian police are monitoring this process.
Sharon Levy arrived three days ago on vacation on the Southern Black Sea Coast. She was supposed to fly back to Israel that night.
„We paid for another night, but we will probably have to extend our stay here. We learned from the Internet about the escalation of tension. Then we called our children in Israel and found out that we are at war again. We are waiting for information and will stay as long as necessary“, shared Levi.
However, not all of the tourists can stay in the hotels where they have been on vacation so far.
“They are looking for cheaper hotels, because it is really not known how long they will stay – something that is comfortable for them. Some of them went to apartments“, said Orlin Mandov, Honorary Consul of Israel in Burgas.
Although the police are guarding the hotels in Sunny Beach, where Israeli tourists are accommodated en masse, for Yuval and Avihan the news that they will have to stay in Bulgaria catches them off guard.
“We are thinking of an alternative to fly through other countries and thus reach Israel. But for our security, whatever our authorities say, that is what we will do. We will stay, and we hope to return soon“, shared Yuval Faranis, a tourist from Israel:
“I recently started a job in Israel, which I have been looking for for a long time and it was important for my future to be there, but anyway everything at home is closed, I am just worried because I want to be with my friends and family“, said Avihai Needham, a tourist from Israel.
The Israeli embassy has made contact with the Israeli tourists and maintains contact with them in a special group.
“We know from experience that sometimes, when an opportunity arises for them to return to Israel, it takes us not hours, but minutes to act so that they can get to the airport. The difference with other places where there are conflicts is that Israelis are in a hurry to return to Israel, no one wants to flee Israel“, said Orlin Mandov.
Due to the escalation of tensions, Bulgarian tourism on the Black Sea coast is also expected to suffer seriously, as upcoming reservations by Israeli tourists are gradually starting to be canceled.