UAE, Israel consider quarantine-free travel corridor for fully vaccinated individuals

The UAE and Israel have begun formal discussions to establish a quarantine-free travel corridor between the two countries.

The travel corridor, which would apply to passengers who are fully vaccinated against Covid-19, will facilitate travel for commercial, tourism, and official purposes, reported state news agency WAM.

Meetings between the UAE Ministry of Foreign Affairs and International Cooperation and Israeli Ministry of Foreign Affairs are underway to negotiate the terms of the agreement, with the aim of reaching a final agreement by April 2021.

The UAE and Israel have among the highest rates of vaccinations administered per capita in the world. As of March 10, the UAE’s Ministry of Health and Prevention said that a total of 6,367,861 doses of the vaccine have already been administered, with vaccine distribution rate of 64.38 doses per 100 people.

Meanwhile officials in Israel earlier this week confirmed that Israel had crossed the 5 million mark in the number of Covid-19 vaccines administered, inoculating more than half its population of 9.3 million people.

The travel corridor for fully vaccinated individuals will likely result in tourism picking up once again between the two countries. Last month, Eitan Na’eh, head of mission at the newly established Israeli embassy in Abu Dhabi, said that 130,000 Israeli tourists visited the UAE in the wake of the Abraham Accords. He added that that there is a potential for nearly 50,000 Israelis a month to visit the UAE during the winter season.

Read: Israel wants to build land corridor with UAE for movement of goods

UAE airline flydubai has already begun direct flights between the two countries, with Abu Dhabi-based national carrier Etihad Airways confirming that it too would begin flights to Tel Aviv starting March 28, 2021.

Read: Flydubai’s inaugural flight to Israel lands in Tel Aviv

UAE officials said in January that the country had temporarily suspended the visa-free travel arrangement with Israel until July 1, as a result of the Covid-19 pandemic. Consequently, Israelis will need to obtain a visa to travel to the UAE, and Emiratis too will likewise need a visa to travel to Israel.