Starting in May, Israel will reopen its borders to vaccinated travellers. In the first stage, groups will be allowed under guidelines to be published by the Ministries.

Minister of Tourism Orit Farkash-Hacohen and Minister of Health Yuli Edelstein agreed on a framework for the opening of Israel to vaccinated groups of foreign tourists.

A limited number of groups will start to arrive on May 23. The number will be increased based on the health situation and progress of the program. Individual travellers will be allowed into Israel in the second stage.

All visitors will be required to undergo a PCR test before boarding the flight to Israel, and a serological test to prove their vaccination, upon arrival at Ben Gurion Airport. In the meantime, discussions will continue with various countries to reach agreements for vaccine certificate validation. A detailed outline will be released in the upcoming days.

Minister of Health, Yuli Edelstein: “Israel is the first vaccinated country, and the citizens of Israel are the first to enjoy this result. After opening the economy, it is time to allow tourism in a careful and calculated manner. Opening the tourism is important for one of the fields most hurt during the COVID year. We will continue to look at easing regulations in accordance with the health situation.”

Minister of Tourism, Orit Farkash-Hacohen: “I am pleased to give this important first step to the tourism industry. It is time that Israel’s unique advantage as a safe and healthy country start to assist it in recovering from the economic crisis, and not only serve other countries’ economies. Only opening the skies for international tourism will truly revive the tourism industry, including restaurants, hotels, sites, tour guides, busses and others looking to work and provide for their families. I will continue to work for the full opening of tourism to Israel, which will greatly assist the Israeli economy and create workplaces for many Israelis.”

Sharon Bershadsky, director of the Israel Tourist Office UK: “After a long, forced break, we are delighted to take the first step in opening our borders to international visitors. From the beautiful coast of Tel Aviv, the rich history of Jerusalem, the wonder of The Dead Sea, the ample outdoor travel opportunities and the superb culinary scene, there are numerous reasons for travel wishers to visit our country. We look forward to welcoming all visitors to Israel as soon as it is safe to do so.”