Fully vaccinated tourists were welcomed back to Israel from 1 November, and the country’s recently elected government, formed in June, is also set to pass its 2021-22 national budget this week.

Sharon Bershadsky, director of the UK and Ireland Tourist Office, told TTG@WTM: “We have a new government, a new tourism minister and a new budget coming this week and new rules to open the countries – everything is new so we are very hopeful.”

“It will take us some time [to recover]. Our government has tried to help [financially] but businesses need the tourists back. Reopening will be in phases but hopefully by the beginning of next year we will be on our way to recovery.”

For 2022, Bershadsky said Israel would still look to focus on its “Two Cities, One Break” campaign, promoting its two most popular cities, Jerusalem and Tel Aviv, but also expand its focus on other Israeli areas. This includes the northern region of Galilee and the Negev desert.

“Somewhere like Negev is 1.5 hours from Tel Aviv [and] you can do a day trip,” explained Bershadsky.

“Israel is such a tiny country and in one day you can put a note for God in the Western Wall, float in the Dead Sea, party in Tel Aviv and take a sand dune Jeep ride.”