Israel Reopens to Russian Travelers as Flights Resume

MOSCOW, April 19 – Israel's tourism sector is actively preparing for the return of visitors from Russia, according to a statement from the Israeli Ministry of Tourism. The announcement follows a de-escalation in regional tensions that had severely disrupted air travel.

Direct flights between Russia and Israel have now restarted. Services from Moscow to Tel Aviv are operating, with new routes from Sochi, Mineralnye Vody, and Krasnodar scheduled to launch by the end of April. This marks a significant step toward normalizing travel links that were largely suspended for weeks.

"All our hotels are operating normally and eagerly await the return of guests from Russia," said Ksenia Vorontsova, head of the Israeli Ministry of Tourism's office in Russia. "We are upholding all necessary standards of hospitality and safety." She emphasized that Russian tourists have long been valued visitors to the country.

The travel halt was triggered by a series of military exchanges between Israel and Iran in late February, which led Israel to temporarily curb civilian air traffic. With a recent ceasefire agreement in place, Israel's main international gateway, Ben Gurion Airport, has resumed full operations. While regular commercial flights were paused during the height of the conflict, the country's airspace was never completely closed.