Home Tags Posts tagged with "tourists"
Tag:

tourists

Ben Gurion Airport
ArticlesIsraelIsrael InsiderNews

Israel’s Ben-Gurion Airport To Get Technology Upgrade Becoming Advanced Travel Hub

by Ron Cantor
written by Ron Cantor

In 2023, the Ben-Gurion International Airport in Tel Aviv will receive a major digital makeover, promising shorter wait times for travelers and transforming it into one of the world’s most technologically advanced airports, according to an announcement by the Israel Airports Authority (IAA).

“A main objective of the IAA is improving services for passengers in the immediate future and, in the long term, becoming a digital airport and one of the most advanced of its kind in the world,” Hagai Topolansky, the IAA CEO, said.

This year, as the skies of the Holy Land opened back up for tourists, Ben-Gurion was struggling with a lack of staff (like much of the Western world). This “perfect storm” resulted in long lines, lost luggage, and cranky travelers. Our international airport found itself unprepared for the crush of 10 million passengers that have flown to and from Israel since January. By the numbers, Israel’s main airport has experienced a 340 percent increase in travelers since March while dealing with a shortage of 1,400 workers. At times, the line to get on a flight has stretched outside the doors of the airport.

Once completed, the $15 million digital upgrade project is expected to result in reduced check-in times (by at least half an hour), and it will do away with the initial-stage security check.

Most travelers (more than half of those traveling abroad from Ben-Gurion) already do their check-ins online, according to the IAA. The airport will also install “Touch-and-Play” centers onsite where passengers can access various online services. At these booths, passengers can weigh their luggage, print their luggage tags, and even send the bags to their airplane—all without having to wait in line for a counter agent. The IAA is also adding 24 hand-luggage inspection areas.

“People flying abroad will only go through a security check after completing the check-in process for their flight – either by checking in online from home or by using one of the independent kiosks that will be installed at the airport’s departures hall,” the IAA statement said. “Most of the process required for leaving the country will be done online and through digital means, maximizing comfort and accessibility for the passengers.”

Travel to and from Israel is expected to continue to grow. The IAA is anticipating 18 million flyers this year and 24 million passengers by the end of 2023.

 

 

0 comment
0 FacebookTwitterPinterestTelegramEmail
jerusalem with a covid stamp over it
ArticlesIsraelIsrael InsiderNews

Coronavirus Resurfaces, Israel Delays Tourism Reboot Until August

by Ron Cantor
written by Ron Cantor

After going a week with no COVID-19-related deaths and minimal new cases, Israel has seen a sudden rise in new infections, prompting authorities to push back the return of tourists until at least August. Officials are also encouraging parents to have their teens vaccinated, and the newly installed government has renewed the coronavirus cabinet.

On Monday, 125 new cases were reported, more than double what it was two days prior and the highest daily load since mid-April. Israel has recently reopened travel abroad for citizens and their families. At times, the testing lines at the airport for returning travelers have been so long that security has waved people through without confirming their COVID status.

Officials speculate those arriving have not followed quarantine protocol or have traveled to high-risk, “blacklist” countries. Health officials Tuesday said there would be increased fines for violators, up to $1500. (NIS 5000).

The Delta variant seems to be driving the recent surge. Most of the outbreak is in students and staff at several Israeli schools, prompting officials to reinstate the mask mandate in schools and health centers. Just three people of the several hundred new cases have been fully vaccinated. Which once again shows the vaccine is working as promised—95 percent resistance.

“The outbreaks are happening mostly with unvaccinated people,” Dr. Itai Pessach, Director of Safra Children’s Hospital at Sheba Medical Center, said in an interview on Channel 13 in Israel. “When most of the population is vaccinated, most illness will be light-to-nonexistent.”

On Tuesday, Prime Minister Naftali Bennett said, “We are treating the situation like a new coronavirus outbreak.” He promised to increase the testing capabilities at Ben Gurion International Airport. Israel will continue to utilize the defense forces (similar to calling up the National Guard in the US for a disaster) to better monitor new arrivals to the land.

 

0 comment
0 FacebookTwitterPinterestTelegramEmail
scenic view of Jerusalem at sunset
ArticlesIsraelIsrael InsiderNews

Israel Continues to Open Up

by Ron Cantor
written by Ron Cantor

As COVID-19 infections continue to dwindle, Israel has lifted the indoor mask requirement and put out the welcome mat for individual tourists to come—but with a few caveats.

On Monday, Israel’s Health Ministry dropped the indoor mask requirement, with a few exceptions. Masks will still be required for those who are not vaccinated, who work with the elderly, who are going into quarantine, or are flying on an airplane.

And the pilot program allowing a few small groups of tourists back into the land after borders being closed for over a year due to the pandemic seems to be going well. So, Israeli authorities have announced individual tourists who have been vaccinated will be welcome starting July 1.

At this point, only vaccinated tourists—not those who have immunity through recovery from the virus—will be allowed in. Travelers will still have to be tested before and after the flight and take a serological test to validate that they have developed antibodies. Visitors have to quarantine until the blood work results are in, which is burdensome for travelers.

However, the serological test may not be required for tourists from “white countries”—nations considered a low risk for spreading the virus, according to Israel’s Health Ministry—if the new government stays with the plans set in motion by the previous administration.

Yoel Razvozov, the new tourism minister, said that opening the doors for tourists is his number one priority. “I see creating a correct and effective outline to bring back foreign tourists to Israel as my first mission in this position, obviously without endangering (the health of) Israeli citizens.”

Travel is already picking up. Last week, Ben Gurion International Airport was the busiest it’s been in a year, with 22,500 travelers—mostly Israelis headed abroad—passing through on Thursday. This number is significantly lower than the record-setting 115,000 travelers a day in the summer of 2019. But traffic is expected to steadily increase over the coming months.

Before the pandemic, in 2019, Israel had around 4.5 million visitors—almost a quarter of those came from North America—according to Hassan Madah, head of the Americas Department of Israel’s Tourism Ministry. “We hope that soon we can also go back to 2019 where we have tourists coming without doing anything, just booking a flight and hotel.”

Note: We are working with our tour operator to host a tour in the fall. We should have prices soon. Click here to be kept up to date on the tour.

0 comment
0 FacebookTwitterPinterestTelegramEmail
tour group in Israel on steps
ArticlesIsraelIsrael InsiderNews

Full-scale Return of Tourists in Israel Delayed

by Ron Cantor
written by Ron Cantor

Tour operators, souvenir sellers, holy site overseers, restaurants, and hotel personnel had all hoped to welcome in a flood of tourists to the Holy Land on July 1, but Israel’s authorities are saying “not yet.”

On Monday, Israel’s Tourism Ministry extended a pilot program allowing only a small number of size-limited groups of tourists until at least the end of the month.

After more than a year of closed borders due to COVID-19 restrictions and then an 11-day war with Hamas, Israel received its first tour group—theology students from the Midwest—on May 27. In the first wave of travelers, only 20 tour groups of no more than 20 people each received approval. Another round of tourists will be processed soon, with tour operators getting a chance for their group to gain entry on a first-come-first-serve basis, in groups of up to 30 people—1,000 travelers maximum will be allowed in by the end of June.

As previously required, all travelers have to be vaccinated, pass a PCR COVID-19 test before and after the flight, and take a blood test to prove antibodies. Also, no one is allowed if they recently visited the countries currently under a travel ban—Brazil, South Africa, Russia, and Argentina.

Israeli officials plan to announce the next phase of opening up tourism—possibly to individual pilgrims—at the end of this month.

0 comment
0 FacebookTwitterPinterestTelegramEmail

GET YOUR DAILY
DEVOTIONAL