Israel will welcome back small tour groups this month
Israel will once again welcome small tour groups from select countries this month, according to Reuters.
Groups of between five and 30 people who can prove they are fully vaccinated will be allowed to visit starting Sept. 19, according to the tourism ministry. Travelers must be from countries on Israel's green, yellow and orange travel lists. At this time, neither visitors from countries on the red list, which includes Mexico, nor individual travelers can participate.
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Because individual tourists are still unable to visit Israel, being part of a tour group is the only way to visit the country at the moment. Solo visitors have not been allowed to visit Israel for nonessential reasons since the onset of the pandemic in March of 2020, with the only exceptions being for people who are visiting family who live in Israel.
Right now, the U.S. is on Israel's orange travel list. That means if you are fully vaccinated and cleared to travel to Israel, you will have to quarantine for 24 hours or isolate until the results of a COVID-19 test taken upon arrival come back negative (whichever is first).
Reuters reported that travelers participating in the new small-group tour program will have to present a negative COVID-19 PCR test that was taken within 72 hours of arrival in Israel and take a serological test at the airport in Tel Aviv (TLV). This is in addition to proof of having received a second dose of a COVID-19 vaccine within the last six months — or a booster shot.
More than half of Israel's population has already been fully vaccinated against COVID-19, and while the U.S. debates the need for booster shots, 2.5 million people in Israel have already received a third dose of the Pfizer vaccine.
Still, the country saw a major outbreak of the delta variant in August, which forced the country to halt its efforts to resume tourism. Before the program was suspended, more than 2,000 people traveled to Israel in tour groups.
It is unclear when individual tourists will be allowed to return to Israel, but the timeline will depend on how the coronavirus situation develops in Israel and across the globe.
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Earn 75,000 bonus miles when you spend $4,000 on purchases in the first 3 months from account opening, equal to $750 in travel75,000 bonus milesAnnual Fee
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The Capital One Venture X card is one of the best all-round travel credit cards ever launched. Not only is it offering a tremendous welcome bonus, but cardholders can earn tons of miles on everyday spending and receive a 10,000-mile anniversary bonus to boot. Its annual fee is $395, but cardholders can count on up to $300 in statement credits toward travel booked through Capital One Travel each year and other valuable benefits like access to Priority Pass lounges and Capital One’s own growing family of airport lounges.Pros
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- Up to $300 in annual travel statement credits toward bookings make through Capital One Travel.
- 10,000 bonus miles (worth $100 toward travel) each account anniversary.
Cons
- The $395 annual fee might be expensive for some, but this card’s benefits provide much more value than that.
- If you don’t travel frequently, this might not be the best card for you.
- Earn 75,000 bonus miles when you spend $4,000 on purchases in the first 3 months from account opening, equal to $750 in travel
- Receive up to $300 back annually as statement credits for bookings through Capital One Travel, where you'll get Capital One's best prices on thousands of options
- Get 10,000 bonus miles (equal to $100 towards travel) every year, starting on your first anniversary
- Earn unlimited 10X miles on hotels and rental cars booked through Capital One Travel and 5X miles on flights booked through Capital One Travel
- Earn unlimited 2X miles on all other purchases
- Unlimited complimentary access for you and two guests to 1,300+ lounges, including Capital One Lounges and the Partner Lounge Network
- Receive up to a $100 credit for Global Entry or TSA PreCheck®
- Use your Venture X miles to easily cover travel expenses, including flights, hotels, rental cars and more—you can even transfer your miles to your choice of 15+ travel loyalty programs
- Named editors' choice for "Best New Credit Card of 2021" by The Points Guy
- Earn 10 miles per dollar when you book on Turo, the world's largest car sharing marketplace, through May 16, 2023