Israel will ease restrictions on foreign tourists next week

On June 30, the pilot program that began in May, which allowed a limited number of organized tours of foreign tourists to enter Israel, will end. The assumption is that the pilot program will be expanded from July 1 to include more groups as well as individuals who have been vaccinated against Covid-19. While outgoing Interior Minister Aryeh Deri approved such an expanded plan to include individual tourists before leaving his post last week, a detailed formal plan has yet to be approved. However, the new Interior Minister Ayelet Shaked confirmed that foreign tourists will be allowed in from July 1, subject to some restrictions, including vaccination. The head of the Association of Incoming Tour Operators of Israel, Yossi Fatiel, has explained what such a plan is likely to look like, starting on July 1. Incoming Tourism Minister Yoel Razvozov (Yesh Atid) is also keen to move forward on this matter. “I see it as my first task in the job,” he said, “to build appropriate and effective relaxation on the conditions for tourists to enter Israel.” In response to a question by “Globes”, the Ministry of Health said that the conditions for allowing foreign tourists to enter Israel have not yet been finalized, but that the issue is being worked on. According to Patel, all tourists, groups and individuals, from a list of about 45 countries that have received two doses of the vaccine approved in the United States or the European Union, will be allowed to enter Israel. No tourists will be allowed entry from the red countries, currently India, Brazil, Argentina, Mexico, Russia, Ukraine, Ethiopia, South Africa and Turkey but are updated every two weeks, regardless of whether they have been vaccinated or not. Foreign tourists coming to Israel will be subject to the same requirements as Israelis. Fill out an online health permit before arriving in Israel and take a negative PCR test less than 72 hours before departure to Israel. An additional NIS 100 test must be taken upon landing at Ben Gurion Airport. But in all likelihood, the current need for tourists to take a serological test and stay in isolation for two days, until the results prove that they have the required number of antibodies to the Covid virus, will be canceled. This requirement has deterred many tourists due to the 48-hour confinement, the idea of ​​donating blood in a foreign country, and the possibility of them failing a test and not being able to tour the country. However, tourists who have recovered from Covid but have not been vaccinated will be required to take a serology test. But this test will be done at the airport, with results received 15 minutes later. Tourists will have to pay for this test but no price has been set yet. The land border with Egypt via the Sinai is already open and the border with Jordan will open on July 1, but it is unclear whether foreign tourists will be allowed to enter through the land border. Published by Globes, Israel business news – en.globes.co.il – June 20, 2021 © Copyright Globes Publisher Itonut (1983) Ltd. 2021