Tourism Minister, Orit Farkash HaCohen, announced last week the opening of inbound tourism to Israel. Despite the celebrations about the entry of tourism, the conditions of the Ministry of Health for the entry of foreigners are not in line with the state of vaccines in most of the countries participating in the fair. Of the 50 countries that were supposed to attend the largest annual tourism exhibition in the Middle East – IMTM 2021 – International Mediterranean Tourism Market this June (15-16.6.21), only a few are theoretically allowed to enter Israel under the existing conditions.
Out of the desire of the organizers of the International Tourism Exhibition IMTM to respond and allow the many exhibitors and visitors overseas to come to Israel and the exhibition, and in order to preserve the international character of the main annual event for the tourism industry, it was decided in consultation with the main partners at the fair to move the IMTM Exhibition to October 26-27, 2021.
Ahead of the new date in October, the fair organizers in consultation with professionals in Israel and exhibitors from abroad believe that the number of vaccinated abroad will be significantly higher and the conditions of entry into Israel will be clearer and more applicable in favor of a large number of visitors, tourists and exhibitors from around the world.
The IMTM International Tourism Exhibition, which is expected to be attended by business people, hotel owners and airlines, is expected to be a major milestone to the return of the tourism routine. The countries of the world see Israeli tourism as the highest hope and potential for returning tourism in their country, since Israel is a green country with the highest percentage of vaccinated. Also, the virtual exhibition that is taking place these days, will continue its activities until October 17, 2021.
The exhibition is organized by Ortra Ltd. and Israel Travel News, in collaboration with the Ministry of Tourism and sponsored by the Israel Hotels Association, the Chamber of Inbound Tourism Organizers, the Tel Aviv-Jaffa Tourism Association, and the Israel Travel Agents Association. The exhibition is intended for all those involved in the various tourism industries – domestic tourism, inbound tourism as well as countries and tourism factors from abroad. The exhibition regularly participates in a wide range of Israeli exhibitors: tourism associations from all over the country, services and attractions of various kinds in the field of tourism.The exhibition includes meetings and accompanying professional conferences and a program for invited agents, as part of which hundreds of decision makers from around the world who market Israel as a tourist destination come to the fair.
Eyal Shmueli, one of the initiators of the exhibition: “The State of Israel has partially and limitedly opened its gates to inbound tourism, while most of the countries participating in the fair do not meet the conditions of the Ministry of Health, Out of 50 countries that were supposed to attend the IMTM International Tourism Exhibition, only a few will be able to enter, so we are forced to postpone the exhibition until the end of October 2021. The virtual exhibition currently taking place will continue until October 27, 2021”.