UAE, Israel strengthen tourism and economic relations

The UAE and Israel signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) to strengthen their tourism and economic cooperation and reinforce their bilateral ties.

The MoU was signed by Dr Ahmed Belhoul Al Falasi, Minister of State of Entrepreneurship and SMEs and Chairman of the Emirates Tourism Council, and Yoel Razvozov, Israeli Minister of Tourism, who is currently visiting the UAE.

Dr Al Falasi said the MoU signing took place under the framework of the Abraham Accords between the two countries and the efforts to boost economic cooperation and create partnerships in many areas.

The UAE has become a major global and regional centre and tourism destination as envisaged by its leadership. The country has successfully developed its tourism services and products to offer all types of tourism experiences, including business tourism, shopping tourism, conference tourism and adventure tourism, he added.

Razvozov said the MoU is a historic moment in Israel-Emirati relations and called on all Gulf Cooperation Council (GCC) countries to follow the UAE, reinforce their ties with Israel and work together to establish a new reality in the region for prosperity, security and stability.

He then thanked the joint action teams who helped draft the MoU.

UAE and Israel officials during the meeting in Dubai. WAM

Under the MoU, both sides will implement policies to encourage and advance the tourism sectors of the two countries, boost the cooperation between their tourism organisations in the public and private sectors, and facilitate the exchange of tourism and travel information, including planned tourism events.

They will also intensify their technical cooperation in tourism education, vocational training, marketing and promotional activities, encourage participation in tourism events and exhibitions, especially the private sector, and hold joint regional events for travel agents and other tourism professionals.

Expo 2020 Dubai is an opportunity for the Israeli business community to benefit from promising economic partnerships between the two countries in critical sectors, most notably in tourism and vital projects.

The relations between the UAE and Israel have witnessed significant development since the signing of the Abraham Accords in September 2020. As per the latest figures, the trade between the two countries grew to $700 million within one year of signing the accord.

WAM