Haaretz

Oded Lifschitz, the highest-ranking Israeli in the global Hilton chain, says the surveys are useless,

and he isn't afraid of the Internet, either.

When Oded Lifschitz walks down the street and sees an old building, he automatically wonders if it

could be transformed into a boutique hotel. That's where his heart is. Lifschitz, UK and Israel area vice president for Hilton Worldwide, loves old buildings with a rich history that can be reinvigorated.

The most senior Israeli in the Hilton hotel chain, Lifschitz has been in the business for almost 40

years. He's been with the Hilton chain for 35 of them, during which time he ran chain hotels around the world, including Japan, Australia and New Zealand.

The main difference between hotels in Israel and elsewhere is the "warm atmosphere" in the Israeli

establishments, says Lifschitz, who lives with his family in London. "I don't think there are real differences between the average hotel in Israel and the average hotel abroad, but in Israel, there's no sense of alienation. Israelis have a warm business nature, and there's a sense that the hotel people enjoy serving you," he says.

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