Israel to welcome solo tourists from different countries for 1st time since pandemic

For the first time since the start of the coronavirus pandemic, Israel on Monday began welcoming vaccinated solo travellers from different countries. The government hopes that allowing travellers into the nation will revive the country's ailing tourism economy. Last spring, Israel planned to reopen to tourists, but the move was postponed due to an outbreak of the highly contagious delta variant of COVID. Israel, since then has launched a booster programme, with the help of this nearly half of the population has received a third dose of the vaccine, further reducing the cases.

In the recent six months, travellers must produce confirmation of vaccination or booster dose. Most vaccinations are recognised by authorities, however, those who have been vaccinated with Russia's Sputnik must face a serological test when they arrive.

Travellers must show proof of negative coronavirus test

Travellers visiting Israel must also show proof of a negative coronavirus test prior to boarding their aircraft and show once again once they arrive. Throughout the pandemic, Israel has allowed some international visitors, including those who have close connections in the country and those who are travelling for work or study. In September, it began permitting organised tour groups.

Israel is depending on visitors from the United States and Europe, as well as the United Arab Emirates and Bahrain, both of which normalised relations with Israel in 2020. The Western Wall, the Jewish Quarter, the Church of the Holy Sepulchre, and the Via Dolorosa drew roughly 80% of all arriving tourists to Israel until the coronavirus pandemic in February 2020. According to Sputnik, in 2019, Israel as a whole, and Jerusalem in particular, has an unparalleled increase in tourist numbers, with 4.55 million visitors, up 11% from the previous year. They gave the country's economy a boost of more than $7 billion.

Country hopes to build on its previous success

With tourists now welcome in Israel, the country hopes to build on its previous success. However, according to Sputnik, Israeli politician Fleur Hassan-Nahoum advises caution, stating that the opening of the country should be careful and progressive in order to keep COVID under control. She said that they have to wait a long time to go back to pre-coronavirus levels. She believes that, with time, they will be able to overcome this obstacle and become an even more appealing tourist destination.

(Inputs from AP News)

(Image: Unsplash/Representative)