With the return of Wizz Air’s London to Tel Aviv route on Wednesday morning — the 7.25 am flight from London Luton — the Israeli tourism sector was optimistic that it signalled a return to “normal” travel for British travellers.
Despite an inevitable drop in travel from Britain to Israel in the aftermath of 7 October 2023, new previously unpublished data shows that UK visitors remained committed to visiting the Jewish state.
In fact, 79,000 tourists entered Israel from UK during 2024 representing 42 per cent of the 2023 figures. In December 2024 alone, 6,500 visitors entered Israel from the UK, a 63 per cent increase from December 2023.
The figures are despite highly restrictive Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office (FCDO) advice remaining in place for almost all of 2024 and limited flight options: indirect routes or a much-reduced choice of direct air UK to Israel carriers (El Al and Israir). Nevertheless, travel from the UK remained remarkably active throughout the whole of 2024.In 2019, the last full year of “undisrupted’’ travel pre-COVID and pre-7 October, visitors from the UK to Israel peaked at 235,000 visitors.
Wizz Air’s resumption in service comes quickly after last month’s decision by the FCDO to lift restrictions and bring an end to negative advice against travel to Israel. This immediately opened the way to standard travel insurance terms for travellers and holiday makers wishing to travel to Israel who previously had been put off by strict FCDO guidelines and its knock on effects on practical arrangements and travel confidence.
Now booking is also open for EasyJet flights scheduled to resume at the end of March, with British Airways also taking bookings for its returning service from the beginning of April. Virgin Atlantic is taking bookings currently serviced through the carriers’ code-sharing partnership with El Al.
Michael Ben-Baruch, director of Israel’s tourism arm in the UK, welcomed the flights as a sign that “Israel wants you back”. He said: “Israel is a country that thrives on its interaction with the outside world and the wider Jewish community. Hearing non-Hebrew language on our streets throughout the past year brought a huge sense of support and comfort to a struggling nation. The time is now to press reset on your Israel travel plans. We are ready to welcome you back, when you are ready to return. I want to thank those who made that extra effort to visit Israel since 7 October 2023.
“Of course we understand that the world has changed significantly since that tragic day in 2023, but following FCDO guidance, Israel is once again looking forward to welcoming guests and showing them the strength, resilience and beauty of our wonderful country and its warm and diverse communities.”
