Geri Haim Talks Christian Tourism in Israel During COVID-19
If you’re wondering about travel in Israel during COVID-19, Geri Haim has answers.
Domestic and international travel has seen record lows since the onset of COVID-19, according to Geri Haim. However, some people are still traveling and wondering where to go next. If people are considering crossing Israel off their bucket list during COVID-19, there are a few things to know about traveling there before you go, says Geri Haim.
First of all, Israel began its shut down in March of 2020 and all tours were canceled in the Holy Land. It was quite unfortunate for those seeking Christian travel in Israel, according to Geri Haim. In the meantime, however, Geri Haim has put together information related to travel and tourism in Israel post COVID-19 that is helpful for anyone looking to travel to the Holy Land in 2021.
At this time, according to Geri Haim, all land borders with Israel are closed and non-residents are not allowed in the country. If you are a resident and are thinking of touring more than one country in the area, such as Jordan, you will need to fly. As for Christian tours, that will depend upon the transportation restrictions being lifted and the tour operators’ ability to provide tour buses that are cleaned to government specifications. Some hotels are allowed to operate at the time but strictly as room only or bed and breakfast with breakfast being served in the room. At this time, most hotels are still closed, according to Geri Haim.
Tour operations have also been shut down. Many tour operators are waiting to resume Christian tours once borders are open to international traffic and non-residents are allowed in the country. Until then, all travel to Isreal is off-limits to tourists. When will this change? That is an open-ended question. The Holy Land is being extra careful to stop the spread of COVID-19 and is requiring residents to quarantine after visiting certain countries, like Canada, Ireland, Thailand, and the UAE, for example. While Israel could certainly decide to open in 2021, many restrictions will likely be put in place.
According to Geri Haim, it’s best to hold off on planning a trip to Israel in 2021 as we wait for the vaccine to take effect and for the numbers to go down. Until then, it’s safe to say that Israel will remain closed to Christian travel.