Israel will stimulate the Russian tourist flow to Eilat in the upcoming winter season

According to the results of the first four months of 2018, the number of Russian tourists in Israel reached 116 200 people, which is 6% more than in the same period of the last year. Israel expects the continued growth of tourist traffic from Russia in upcoming winter season, especially in Eilat. According to Ksenia Kobyakova, the Head of the Representative Office of the Ministry of Tourism of Israel in Russian Federation and CIS, Russia remains on the second position in 2018 by the number of arrivals to Israel after the US. Only in April 39,900 travelers from Russia visited Israel, which is 13% more than in the last year About 40% of night stays of Russian tourists were in Eilat hotels. Recall that on Israeli direction operate such leading tour operators as ICS Travel Group, Coral Travel, Anex Tour, Biblio-Globus, Russian Express and TUI Russia. The tourist attraction of Eilat for organized tourists from Russia is facilitated by the program of subsidized air transportation developed by the Ministry of Tourism of Israel. So, according to the data of the Ministry of Tourism of Israel, during the period from September 3, 2017 to March 22, 2018 143 flights to Israeli resorts with an average loading of 80% were performed. In total, 23,280 guests from Russia arrived to Uvda airport this year, which is 1% more than in the same period of the last year. The Ministry of Tourism of Israel is waiting for a more significant growth of the Russian tourist traffic to Eilat in the upcoming winter season. Recall that the next phase of the subsidy program covers the period from September 1, 2018 to May 31, 2019, excluding September 23-30, as well as April 19-26. The size of the subsidy is increased by 30%: under the program the Ministry will now reimburse the companies, organizing the flights to Uvda, an amount of 60 Euros for each passenger (previously 45 Euros). Subsidies will be extended to the flights that will arrive at the new airport Ramon (opening is planned in early 2019).