Israel Could Reopen its Doors to Tourists as Early as November 1st

By: David Rosenberg

The Israeli government is considering a plan to reopen the country to foreign tourists starting next month, after a year and a half of a near-total ban on tourists entering the country.

The Coronavirus Cabinet deliberated Sunday evening on plans drawn up by the Health Ministry which would allow tourists to enter the country, even if they arrive individually, and not as part of organized tour groups.

Last month, the government relaunched a pilot program allowing tourists in organized tour groups of between five to 30 to enter the country. The pilot program had originally been launched in May, but was halted in August, following a spike in infection rates.

Under the plan being considered by the Coronavirus Cabinet, all tourists entering the country will be required to be vaccinated – a condition also imposed currently on members of tour groups.

The current proposal would reopen Israel to all vaccinated tourists starting on November 1st.

Tourism Minister Yoel Razvozov (Yesh Atid) is leading the effort to reopen the country to tourism, Israel Hayom reported.

The Israeli Foreign Ministry is currently working with authorities abroad, including in the US, to establish mutual recognition for vaccinated travelers, enabling Israelis to travel abroad and to prepare for the arrival to Israel of tourists from overseas.

In other travel related news, a plane belonging to the Egyptian airline Egyptair, which arrived on a direct flight from Cairo, landed at Ben Gurion Airport on Sunday.

This is the first time that an official Egyptair commercial flight has landed at Israel’s main airport. The plane was received on the runway with festive jets of water.

Flights between Ben Gurion Airport and Cairo have operated since the signing of the peace agreements between Israel and Egypt, but Egyptair had set up a subsidiary called Air Sinai to operate flights between the two countries, to avoid flights to Israel under the official Egyptian airline logo.

In addition to Air Sinai planes, the Egyptian airline would send larger planes from time to time, but the painted white with no Egyptian national symbols.

Egyptair will operate a direct line between Tel Aviv and Cairo, which departs from Ben Gurion Airport four times a week. Tickets can be purchased on the company’s website. Egyptair will also operate flights from Ben Gurion Airport to Sharm el-Sheikh.

            (Israel National News)