With just about nine weeks to go, organizers of Pesach programs throughout the world are betting that the slight boost in the economy will help them fill rooms quicker this year. Last year, say the organizers, it pretty much came down to a last-minute surge. For some it meant renegotiating room blocks and downsizing their programs in general. I
sraeli hotels are hoping that the mid-week Pesach (eve of March 29th – April 6th) will drive more tourist traffic to the Jewish state. Last year, the hotels filled rooms with Israelis instead of the coveted tourists from overseas.
Several program organizers told KosherToday that they were courted by major hotels throughout the country in what they explained is an effort by the hotels to “drum-up business during the recession.” Some of the hotels had turned down the business in previous years. Florida programs, say the organizers, are expected to do well with the relatively early Pesach.
More than 30 programs were advertised in some of the weeklies with each claiming to feature notables and Jewish music stars.
The Pesach hotel business has been estimated to be worth nearly $100 million with at least another $25 million accounting for travel. An estimated 20,000 Americans and Canadians are expected to spend Pesach at one of the hotels.
One travel expert predicted that “this would be more of a stay-at-home Passover,” meaning that programs in Europe and perhaps Israel would not fare as well as the domestic programs. One program operator thought that some of the people that stayed away last year would return this year, “particularly those that did somewhat better in the (stock) market.” He was worried that there may not be enough time to “really fill up my place,” but he predicted that he would pass the “threshold” which he described as being just barely profitable.
{KosherToday/Matzav.com Newscenter}
Wow! So many choices for me to run away from HKB”H, R”L!!!
And yet our mosdos are suffocating.
Don’t bash pesach programs. you know you wanna go. i know i do.
Hey, baal Taava, where do you come off painting all Heilige Yidden who go away to a Hotel for Pesach as running away etc.?!?! Do you really not know any people who just CAN’T make Pesach on their own for a whole variety of reasons and are just not being invited by the likes of you?
And let’s not forget that there are actually some ehrlich people running these establishments and getting their parnasa.
tzipppi be quiet we dont wana hear about your father
6, B”H no part of me says, halevai. My father worked at a fairly menial job, yet has managed to attain true gadlus b’Torah.
I really was not going to dignify this with an answer. But I myself unfortunately have found myself hitting send way too fast on forums with no retroactive editing feature so I can’t say I’m not guilty of sending ill-advised comments.