Israel and Egypt have agreed to introduce more direct flights between the two countries and will inaugurate a new route between Tel Aviv (Ben Gurion airport) and Sharm El Sheikh, at the southern tip of Sinai.
Flights are expected to begin next month during the Passover holiday and Israir and Arkia have already bid to operate flights to Sharm El Sheikh. Each airline is interested in operating dozens of weekly flights and offering packages that include hotels.
Russian and Ukrainian tourists have traditionally made up a large percentage of the tourists visiting Sharm el Sheikh in particular and Egypt in general. So with the war raging between Russia and Ukraine, the Egyptians have been seeking alternative sources of tourist revenue and have identified the huge potential from Israel.
"Another step in the warming of the Israel-Egypt peace agreement"
The subject of flights to Sharm El Sheikh was initially discussed when Prime Minister Naftali Bennett met Egypt's President Abdel Fattah Al-Sisi in Sharm El Sheikh last September.
In recent days arrangements for security of flights were finalized on the matter, between the two countries, by a delegation to Egypt led by the head of the Israel Security Agency (Shin Bet) in collaboration with the National Security Council.
Bennett said, "This is another step in the warming of the peace agreement between Israel and Egypt. Cooperation between the two countries is expanding in many areas and this contributes to stability in the region for both peoples. Israel is continuing to open up to the countries of the region and the basis for this recognition over the years has been the peace between Israel and Egypt. So on both sides we need to strengthen this connection and this is what we are doing. I thank the security services for leading the formulation of security guidelines that will allow the operation of this route."
Published by Globes, Israel business news - en.globes.co.il - on March 16, 2022.
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