Since the opening of the Israel-Egypt border in January 1980 over 100,000 tourists have traveled between the two countries, it was announced here by the Israel Ministry of Tourism.
At a recent Cairo conclave, tourism officials of each country signed an agreement designed to speed the process of further normalization in the field of tourism, unifying a region whose historic, cultural and religious attractions are unmatched anywhere in the world. The date for the agreement’s implementation is April 1982, in the wake of the return to Egypt of the remaining Israel held sector of the Sinai Peninsula.
At the present, the Tourism Ministry said eight flights operate weekly in each direction between Tel Aviv and Cairo: by El Al Israel Airlines and Egypt’s Neferititi Aviation. A large proportion of passengers on these flights is American vacationers.
In addition, tourists travel overland on the Sinai highway between the two countries, crossing the border at the Neot Sinai terminal. There will be additional bus service from Tel Aviv to Cairo, also from Eilat to Sharm-el-Sheikh, as well as air service by both Israel and Egyptian airlines from Tel Aviv and Eilat to Mt. Sinai Airport, and to Ras Nasrani on the Red Sea Coast.
POSSIBILITIES FOR COMBINED VACATIONS
The new possibilities for combining Israel-Egypt vacations will be endless — and Israel and Egypt will conduct joint promotional activities, such as seminars for travel agents, joint publicity campaigns and familiarization tours, according to the Ministry. Israel and Egypt will have opened government tourist offices in their respective countries — the Israelis in Cairo, the Egyptians in Tel Aviv — by the end of April 1982.
Agreement was also reached on transit arrangements for charter passengers on wide-bodied aircraft from Europe, destined for the Israel resort of Eilat, arriving at Etzion/Ras El Nagb Airport. Travelers will receive Egyptian transit cards and then continue by road to Eilat Airport for Israel immigration formalities.
The Tourism Ministry also reported that additionally, land traffic will be open for various types of vehicles along the Mediterranean coastal road from Gaza to Kantara, across the desert from Beersheba to Ismailya and along the Red Sea coast between Eilat and Sharmel-Sheikh; appropriate check points will be established for this purpose.
This will make the various tourist centers in Sinai accessible, such as Mount Sinai with St. Catherine’s monastery, and the east coast of the Sinai with its beaches and underwater flora and fauna. Egypt will acquire the tourist facilities built since 1967 by Israel along the coast, and continue to operate them. Another step in the normalization process is the opening up of the two new consulates, an Egyptian one in Eilat and an Israel consulate at Sharm-el-Sheikh.
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