All the news about Israeli tourism

The Minister of Transport, Yisrael Katz approved Arkia’s request to operate scheduled flights for the first time between Eilat and Saint Petersburg. Katz: "The appointment of a carrier to Saint Petersburg will help to increase tourism to Eilat, a desired destination for Russian tourists."

The Ministry of Transport announced that Minister Katz had approved Arkia’s request to operate direct scheduled flights between Eilat and Saint Petersburg. Katz signed the agreement between Israel and Russia allowing airlines from both countries to operate scheduled flights between Eilat and Saint Petersburg.

Until now the only airline operating flights on the route was the Russian carrier Rossiya.  With the appointment of Arkia as a carrier on the route it will now enable Israeli airlines to fly Israeli and Russian tourists between Eilat and Saint Petersburg.

The Minister of Transport indicated that the appointment of Arkia as a scheduled carrier on the route between Eilat and Saint Petersburg will help encourage an increase in the number of Russian tourists visiting Eilat, which has recently become a favoured destination for Russian tourists.

At the beginning of the year, former Minister of Transport, Shaul Mofaz, gave Arkia and Israir permission to operate direct flights between Eilat and Moscow, with the aim of increasing competition between Israel and Moscow, but the two airlines failed to take advantage of this opportunity.

Gadi Tepper, CEO of Arkia, responded that this step would provide a significant contribution for incoming tourism to Eilat. “Arkia intends to begin operating the route once all of the required approvals have been received from the Israeli and Russian aviation authorities.”