A hotel in Koh Phangan, the Shanti Boutique Hotel, displayed “Not recommended for Israeli clients” on its Booking.com photos, triggering an investigation.
According to an Israeli media outlet, a peaceful boutique hotel in Koh Phangan, one of the most popular destinations for Israeli travellers in Thailand, posted an unusual message explicitly targeting visitors from Israel.
Several images in the Booking.com gallery of the property were overlaid with red lettering reading: “Not recommended for Israeli clients”.
The property, the Shanti Boutique Hotel in the Sri Thanu area, nevertheless enjoys high ratings, with a score of 8.6 on Booking.com and 4.8 on Google, Ynet notes. The message appears prominently on photos of the pool, rooms and other parts of the hotel.
“This practice appears to conflict with Booking.com’s anti-discrimination policies, which prohibit partners from refusing bookings or imposing different conditions on clients on the basis of nationality, among other protected characteristics.”
Booking.com told Ynet it had opened a thorough investigation following a request regarding the listing. The hotel had not responded at the time of publication. Following our check on 1 August, the hotel has been completely removed from the Booking.com platform
According to the Israeli media outlet Ynet, the incident forms part of a series of cases in which Israeli and Jewish travellers have been targeted abroad.
See also: Koh Phangan: "Pun Pun Thai Food" restaurant packed after refusing Israeli tourists
Last week, a document circulated on social media and in messaging groups in Italy calling on users to report the arrival of Israeli and Jewish clients in hotels and holiday rentals, as well as their presence in shops, with the stated aim of “mapping Zionist tourism”.
The document was withdrawn after intervention by the Italian commissioner for antisemitism. Members of the Jewish community described the initiative as “a genuine witch-hunt”.
Hostility towards Israeli tourists has also been reported recently in Sardinia (Italy). Calls opposing their arrival have circulated on social media, and in several cases protesters gathered at airports to demonstrate against Israeli passengers landing on the island.