Despite the travel warning issued by the Israel National Security Council, the number of Israelis traveling to Sinai is increasing. According to figures from the Israel Airports Authority, over 85,000 people will pass through the border at Taba in both directions during Passover this year, meaning that the number of people vacationing in Sinai will be at least 40,000. This is 20% more than during Passover last year, when the number of people passing in both directions through the land border with Egypt was 68,400.
656,252 visitors have passed through the border so far this year in both directions, 30% more than in the corresponding period last year. While most of the those passing through the border are Israelis visiting Sinai, there is also an increase in tourist groups passing visiting Israel and groups arriving in the framework of regional tourism trips to Israel.
The number of people passing through the border at Taba in 2018 totaled 1.1 million (540,000 leaving and 555,000 entering), 50% more than the 717,000 who passes through in 2017, and compared with 568,000 in 2016. At the current rate, the number of people passing through the border in 2019 will be greater than in 2018.
The border crossing at Taba, which serves tourists crossing the border by land, was set up in 1982 after Sinai was handed back to Egypt by Israel. It is located on Highway 90 at the southernmost point in Israel, 10 kilometers south of Eilat. The border crossing provides a view of the three countries bordering Israel: Egypt, Jordan, and Saudi Arabia.
The travel warning by the National Security Council Bureau of Counter-Terrorism to those traveling to Egypt is classed as a "basic concrete threat," which is not the highest ranking warning: "The travel warning is only a recommendation; the decision to visiting or stay in any overseas place whatsoever is at the sole discretion and sole responsibility of each person, who must consider the significance of the travel warning."
Published by Globes, Israel business news - en.globes.co.il - on April 21, 2019
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