Israel Works to Send Canadians Home, Cancels Planned Road Show

The Israel Ministry of Tourism (IMOT) says it is fully mobilized to assist tourists currently in Israel wishing to travel home. 

The Ministry says it is operating the Virtual Tourist Office around the clock to provide official information and respond to inquiries, including cases that require direct human assistance by IMOT staff.

Travellers seeking information or assistance can reach out the Tourism Bureau through the following digital channels: Email virtual@goisrael.gov.il; WhatsApp (SMS app via phone number: +972 53 583 5808).

“The Ministry’s foremost commitment is to the safety, security, and well-being of tourists staying in Israel, alongside a responsible national effort to provide support and solutions wherever needed. The Ministry is working around the clock, in close coordination with all relevant partners, to ensure a professional, compassionate and effective response,” IMOT said in a press statement. 

Currently, the Ministry’s activity is focused on: 

Assistance in identifying departure options, including land border crossings: In coordination with the relevant authorities and tourism stakeholders, IMOT is working continuously to assist tourists in identifying available options to depart Israel, including via land border crossings, subject to operational capacity and official instructions. To expedite departures, this week IMOT is operating shuttle services to assist tourists who wish to leave Israel. The shuttles are running from central pick-up points in Jerusalem and Tel Aviv to the Taba border crossing. 

National hotel coordination to support displaced individuals: IMOT is operating dedicated emergency efforts to facilitate the accommodation of displaced individuals in hotels across the country, in cooperation with industry partners and authorities. 

The Israel Ministry of Tourism notes that tourist groups visiting Israel operate under the full responsibility of the Destination Management Company (DMC) that receives and manages them in the country. The DMC assumes exclusive responsibility for the group’s operations throughout their stay. 

This includes overseeing all logistical and operational decisions, selecting the appropriate border crossing when travelling onward to neighbouring destinations such as Jordan or Egypt, and coordinating all necessary arrangements with the relevant authorities in Israel and in the destination country. 

In other tourism news from Israel, a North American regional road show planned for the early part of this year has been postponed. Officials tell Travel Market Report Canada that September/October is now a more likely time frame.