Officials Sum Up Successful Kinneret Season

Officials at the Kinneret last week summarized what they called a successful vacation season, with fewer drownings and emergency incidents than in previous years, as well as fewer traffic problems and cleaner beaches. According to Dana Becher, head of the Kinneret Authority, which is responsible for the parks and beaches around the lake, “the data we have gathered portrays a significant improvement in cleanliness, operations and enforcement in the area, despite the many challenges.”

A poll of vacationers showed that 85 percent of respondents said they were very satisfied with the level of cleanliness at Kinneret beaches and parks. Ninety-two percent said they were pleased with the level of service and politeness of workers at the facilities, and 75 percent said they were satisfied with the equipment and physical state of the sites.

The Authority said that it issued 621 summonses at properties it managed, 440 of them for parking violations, and 40 for illegal fishing and other offenses on water. Quicker responses to emergencies also lowered the number of drowning incidents this year, the Authority said. Only one person died from drowning this season.

With the tourist season over, the Authority’s staff is engaged in various projects to enhance the vacation sites and to improve services, Becher added.