“If and when the skies close, we have the means, and all the managers know what to do in that moment,” Director General of the Tourism Ministry, Michael Itzhakov, said.
Israel’s plan to evacuate approximately 42,000 tourists amid the possibility of an Iranian attack is ready, Director General of the Tourism Ministry, Michael Itzhakov, announced on Monday.
Itzhakov explained that Israel has been preparing for an evacuation scenario for about a month now, after he discussed with Tourism Minister Haim Katz that the country needs to learn its lesson from previous scenarios, alluding to the 12-day war with Iran in June of last year.
He noted that the Tourism Ministry has developed internal procedures designed to provide certainty and reassurance to tourists in the event of an airspace closure.
Although data from the Population and Immigration Authority estimated that there are around 42,000 tourists in Israel, the data is incomplete regarding Israelis with dual citizenship who may be tourists but are not counted as such upon entering the country, he explained.
Itzhakov’s remarks come amid rising tensions with Iran and the possibility of a security escalation as Trump weighs US strikes on the regime.
Volunteers clean and evacuate apartments that were hit by the Iranian missiles during the war between Iran and Israel, in Bat Yam. July 03, 2025. (credit: Dor Pazuelo/Flash90)
‘We want to be ready’
“This is general preparedness. We are not predicting trouble, but we want to be ready. The Tourism Ministry has created an internal procedure, and we want to provide certainty for tourists,” he said.
Itzhakov also emphasized that the ministry is prepared on both communication and logistical levels to maintain continuous contact with tourists in the event of airspace closure, including the preparation of messages in several languages and a human operations center that will be in direct contact with those visiting the country.
“The State of Israel has the phone number of those who enter the country; it’s not overly complicated. There are privacy and legal considerations, but most tourists are required to fill out a form upon entry,” he explained.
He also noted that the ministry is mapping tourists’ locations, particularly in hotels, to enable a rapid response if needed.
“We are prepared for scenarios we encountered in June, and there will not be a situation in which tourists are left wandering without direction,” said Itzhakov. “The Tourism Ministry has already experienced war, and we want to be prepared, to have a contingency plan, even if we never end up using it.”
