Israel Gears Up for Tourist Return, Begins Welcoming Small Groups from September 19
Israel jumps back into the tourism game, allowing small groups of tourists from select countries to enter, starting September 19, as part of a pioneering pilot program. The government announced this development on a sunny Sunday.
The Ministry of Tourism revealed that tourist groups, consisting of 5 to 30 individuals, originating from countries in Green, Yellow, and Orange Israel lists, could enter the country under certain conditions. Everyone in these groups must have completed their full Covid-19 vaccinations.
Since March 2020, when the Coronavirus pandemic hit Israel, the country had not permitted group travel to Israel as part of a package tour.
In May, as Covid-19 infections dwindled, Israel allowed entry for smaller tourist groups, primarily from the U.S. and Europe. Over 2,000 tourists visited, bringing renewed hope for a struggling tourism industry, affected gravely by the pandemic.
However, the program was halted in August, as the Delta variant spread rapidly, causing a spike in Covid-19 infections in Israel, despite the world's leading vaccination effort.
Under the new plan, there will be no cap on the number of approved tourist groups entering Israel. Tourists from Red List countries—currently Bulgaria, Brazil, Mexico, and Turkey—won't be eligible, the ministry stated.
To be eligible for entry, international visitors must produce proof that they've received a second Covid-19 vaccine dose or booster within the previous six months.
Additionally, tourists must present a negative PCR test performed within 72 hours of arrival and submit to a serological test upon arrival at the Ben Gurion International Airport in Tel Aviv.
In 2019, an unprecedented 4.55 million tourists visited Israel, contributing 23 billion shekels (7.2 billion USD) to the local economy.
The Ministry reported that among the groups that entered after the restrictions lifted in May, no Covid-19 cases were recorded. They expressed optimism about eventually permitting solo travelers, depending on the infection rates in Israel and neighboring regions.
Israel reported 4,882 new Covid-19 cases on September 4, a drop from the pandemic peak of 11,201 cases recorded two days prior.
As of September 4, 5.5 million Israelis had received their second dose of the Pfizer-BioNTech Covid-19 vaccine, while another 2.5 million had received their third dose.
Picture above: Tourists stroll at Ben Gurion International Airport.
Also Read:
Enrichment Data Integration:
During the pandemic, many nations have enacted travel restrictions and guidelines, such as requiring health declarations, negative COVID-19 tests, and quarantines, to manage the spread of the viral illness. Additionally, countries like Israel imposed general travel restrictions, while specific details on September 19, 2021, are not provided in these sources. To obtain the most recent and accurate information, it is recommended to consult official country websites or travel advisories.
