Israel welcomed its new tourism minister and said farewell to the outgoing minister in a handover ceremony last week.

Incoming Minister of Tourism Yoel Razvozov said that he intends to work vigorously to bring the tourism industry back to full operations, observing that: “My first task as Minister of Tourism is to build a correct and effective outline for the easing of conditions for tourists to enter Israel — of course, without endangering the citizens of Israel and in cooperation with the professional bodies in the Ministry of Health.”

Outgoing Minister of Tourism Orit Farkash-Hacohen wished Minister Razvozov success, saying: “I entered the Ministry of Tourism in the middle of the second wave of the pandemic. This is not a period that characterizes tourism ministers, and I felt a very high sense of mission and pushed a lot of things for the industry. Mostly I want to tell the employees of the ministry that we worked under difficult conditions because of the corona pandemic. You entered my heart, I hope you will only succeed.”

Gal Hana, Consul for Tourism Director for Canada- Israel Ministry of Tourism, commented: “As tourism recovers in Israel with the removal of the last restrictions, it is exciting to have a new Minister of Tourism to kick off and prepare to receive international visitors to Israel for the balance of 2021, and growing numbers anticipated for 2022 and onward. Israel, the Land of Creation and the Holy Land is the perfect experiential destination to travel to as soon as possible. It is exciting to hear the great responses from the first groups who traveled to Israel since May, and hopefully very soon we will also receive positive visitor testimonials from Canadians will join these ranks, all who have already had their required pair of vaccinations as well.”

Photo credit: Moshe Hermon, Benovich Communications