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Tel Aviv:Â On Monday, Israeli and Greek officials agreed to clear the way for vaccinated tourists between their Mediterranean countries to boost their economies amid the coronavirus pandemic.
Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu and Greek Prime Minister Kyriakos Mitsotakis announced the agreement in Jerusalem on Monday. The agreement aims to get tourists with vaccination certificates to move between the countries “without any restriction, no self-isolation, nothing,” Netanyahu said at a news conference.
Both economies have large sectors dedicated to tourism, an industry devastated by travel restrictions during the 11-month pandemic.
The announcement comes at a time of stringent new travel restrictions worldwide as governments grapple with variants of the virus.
According to the United Nations World Tourism Organization, international arrivals fell 74% last year, wiping out $ 1.3 billion in revenue and endangering up to 120 million jobs. A UNWTO expert panel had mixed prospects for 2021, with 45% expecting a better year, 25% no change, and 30% a worse year.