(JNS) Israel will begin admitting vaccinated tourists into the country at the end of May and has announced the launch of a global campaign to encourage as many people as possible to visit this year, Israeli Tourism Minister Orit Farkash-Hacohen said last week. Speaking at a press conference in Tel Aviv, she said “Israel today is a world leader in safety and health, and we will make sure every potential tourist knows this when planning their summer or winter vacation.”

Israel will allow in a limited number of vaccinated groups next month before allowing an unlimited number of groups to enter come June, she said, adding that the plan was for skies to fully open to individual vaccinated travelers in July. To encourage international visitors, the ministry will be putting up digital billboards in Dubai, New York City’s Times Square and London’s Piccadilly Circus. The first to launch, in Dubai, in both English and Arabic, will be the first-ever Israeli government campaign in the United Arab Emirates, according to the ministry.

The ministry will also be promoting a number of large, international events, including the Tel Aviv Pride Parade, which will be held live this year after being canceled in 2020 due to the coronavirus pandemic; a special Abraham Cycling Cup tour in partnership with philanthropist Sylvan Adams, which will see Israel and the UAE co-host the annual Tour of Dubai bike race; and an international music festival in Timna Park in the Negev Desert, north of the Israeli resort city of Eilat.

Main Photo: Israeli Tourism Minister Orit Farkash-Hacohen holds a press conference in Tel Aviv, announcing Israel’s new campaign for encouraging tourism from abroad, April 27, 2021. Photo by Miriam Alster/Flash90.