From today - Israel is open to tourists from abroad who do not come in groups | Israel Today

There is no substitute for foreign currency, every novice tourist knows: for a year and a half, Israel has suffered from an almost complete lack of tourism.

Luckily for the people in the field, the onslaught of the grounded Israelis compensated quite generously for the lack of income from foreign tourism.

Until today (Monday) - when Ben Gurion Airport will be open to tourists who come not as part of an organized group.

Following the arrival of tourists from abroad, some of the hotels that were closed for a long time were opened very recently, including the Indigo Hotel in Ramat Gan, the Gali Kinneret Hotel and other hotels around the country that relied heavily on foreign tourism.

The aviation industry is also pleased with the decision to allow tourists to enter the country.

The Lowcost Wise Air company decided yesterday to add three lines that did not work while tourists were not allowed to enter Israel - the lines to Milan, Rome and London (Lawton).

Meanwhile, there are voices of quite a few tourists, who claim that this is only a partial opening, since most of the vaccinated in the world received the second dose more than half a year ago and have not yet received the third dose, so they can not enter the country without full isolation.

Ben Gurion Airport // Photo: Yossi Zeliger,

Kelly Hartman from Los Angeles, one of the first tourists to enter Israel today, told Israel Today that she is excited: "This is the second time I am coming to Israel. The first time was many years ago when I was 20, and I am very happy to be able to visit Israel again. Leaving three children at home. "

Alongside the whole celebration, tourists who yesterday tried to enter their vaccine card in the incoming passenger form of the Ministry of Health, had difficulty approving the card.

Although there is a mutual recognition agreement for vaccines between Israel and the European Union, it was not possible to upload the vaccine certificate to the website next to the incoming passenger form.

The Ministry of Health did not respond.

Gidi Mark, CEO of Taglit, the largest incoming Jewish tourism organization in the country, welcomed the entry into force of the tourism outline. Amir Halevi, CEO of the Ministry of Tourism, builds on the American market: Peaks and knowledge to get out of the crisis. "

As you know, the decision was approved last week.

Tourists vaccinated with World Health Organization-approved vaccines, which include Pfizer, Moderna, Astraznica and Chinese vaccines, will be able to enter the country if they received the second dose less than six months ago or the booster dose.

In recent months and even before the last wave of illness, foreign tourists have entered the country in groups.

This is how the Ministry of Health was able to monitor their condition, and if one of them showed symptoms, it was easier to follow them and locate their route.