Stocks for cruise lines also took a hit when Omicron drew international attention, though they have since recovered slightly.As countries shut their doors to foreign tourists or reimpose restrictions because of the new Omicron variant of the coronavirus, tourism that was just finding its footing again could face another major pandemic slowdown amid the uncertainty about the new strain. A man walks through a deserted part of Johannesburg OR Tambo Airport, South Africa, November 29, 2021.
Just over 30,000 tourists entered Israel in the first half of November, compared to 421,000 in November 2019, according to government figures. "Tour guides like me are the first to get hit and the last to emerge and are directly prevented from working by a government decision," Haber said.