israel department of tourism

Israel Launches Website for Tourists Wishing to Visit

Dedicated Ministry of Tourism mini-site presents all the information one needs to know in order to visit Israel today

Link copied

Link kopiert

The following is a press release issued by the Israel Ministry of Tourism.

Following government approval to re-open Israel’s skies to vaccinated and recovered incoming tourists, the Israel Ministry of Tourism announces the launch of a dedicated landing page on its website. The landing page incorporates all the necessary and useful information related to local Corona guidelines that a vaccinated/recovered tourist would need to visit to Israel.

The landing page , which will be updated in accordance with any future changes in regulations, is currently in English and will be translated to other languages in the near future.

Information includes:

• Planning Your Trip (definition of vaccinated and recovered tourist, list of approved vaccines and required documentation for entry into Israel);
• During Your Stay (where/how to get Corona testing); and
• Before You Leave (requirements for testing and documentation).

The landing page also includes links to related information at the Israel Ministry of Health and the Home Front Command websites.

The Corona pandemic decimated Israel’s tourism industry, with the abrupt closure of all incoming tourism in March 2020, after a consistent period of increasing growth. 2019 was a record year for incoming tourism to Israel, with 4.55 million tourists (11% increase on the previous year) and revenue of NIS 23 billion. Incoming tourism plunged to just 832,500 tourist entries in 2020 and 401,500 in 2021 (with revenue of approximately NIS 2 billion).

The Israel Ministry of Tourism, via its representative offices around the world, has worked throughout the pandemic to ensure that awareness of Israel as a safe, attractive tourism destination remains high and to nurture relationships with tourism wholesalers, airline companies, etc. In Israel, the Ministry of Tourism has made very significant investments in maintaining and upgrading tourism infrastructure throughout the country, so that tourists can once again enjoy the varied historical, religious, cultural and tourist sites that Israel has to offer.

Dedicated landing page: https://israelsafe.com/

Israel Urges Christians: Come Back to the Holy Land!

Discovering Haifa’s Flourishing Baha’i Paradise

Wander Among the Ancients at an Israeli World Heritage Site

REVIEW: The Rock, the Road and the Rabbi

Tourists Are Back in Israel!

Tourism to Israel Shows No Signs of Rebounding to Pre-COVID Levels

Thinking of Visiting Israel This Summer? Here’s What You Need to Know

Walk With Prophets and Kings

Israel’s Ripped Minister of Tourism Invokes James Bond

Mark Your Calendar! COVID Vaccine No Longer Required to Enter Israel!

The White-Robed Tourists Are Back!

Visit Israel – Ministry of Tourism Campaign Goes Live

Israel Promises to Not Close Its Borders Again

Study Identifies Israel as 5th Safest Country for Tourists

Israel Offers Free Guided Tours For All

The Dead Sea – The Lowest Place on Earth!

Israel to Reopen Tourism This Month

Is Tourism to Israel Dead?

My Top 3 Tips When Traveling to Israel

Israel, Expensive Fun

Israel is Again Opening Its Borders to Tourists

Ready to Visit? Israel Announces Resumption of Tourism

Statistics Show that Israel is a Great Place to Visit

Tourists Have Returned!

FC Barcelona Legends Tour Caesarea Before Match With Real Madrid

Tourism to Israel is booming again

New Reality Show Pits Israeli Tour Guides Against One Another

Israelis Excited to Visit United Arab Emirates

Foreign Tourism Bounces Back in Jerusalem

Israel is Open to Tourists

Israel Today Membership

Israel heute mitgliedschaft, monthly membership, yearly membership, six months membership, leave a reply cancel reply.

You must be logged in to post a comment.

Israel Today Newsletter

Free to your inbox, israel heute newsletter, tägliche nachrichten, kostenlos in ihrer inbox.

Subscribe to our Daily Newsletter

Email address

Only members can read and write comments.

Loading…

No products in the cart.

Username or email address  *

Password  *

Remember me Lost your password?

WhatsApp us

• Privacy Overview
• Strictly Necessary Cookies
• Additional Cookies
• Cookie Policy

This website uses cookies so that we can provide you with the best user experience possible. Cookie information is stored in your browser and performs functions such as recognising you when you return to our website and helping our team to understand which sections of the website you find most interesting and useful.

Strictly Necessary Cookie should be enabled at all times so that we can save your preferences for cookie settings.

If you disable this cookie, we will not be able to save your preferences. This means that every time you visit this website you will need to enable or disable cookies again.

Diese Website verwendet die folgenden zusätzlichen Cookies:

Google Analytics, Facebook  pixel & Google Adsense

Please enable Strictly Necessary Cookies first so that we can save your preferences!

More information about our Cookie Policy

Advertisement

Supported by

Israel will reopen to small groups of vaccinated tourists after the High Holy Days.

Visits from organized groups of vaccinated tourists will be allowed after Yom Kippur, the holiest day of the Jewish year, the government said.

• Share full article

By Adam Rasgon

Israel plans to allow visits from organized groups of vaccinated tourists after Yom Kippur, the holiest day of the Jewish year, taking a step toward reopening to the world even as health officials record thousands of new coronavirus infections daily.

Tourism Ministry officials said the government decision was approved as a pilot program and emphasized that it constituted only an initial step.

“This program is a foot in the door,” said Pini Shani, a senior Tourism Ministry official. “It’s the start of a process that we hope will lead to the renewal of the tourism industry.”

The ministry then hoped, he said, that the government would allow entry starting in October to individual travelers.

Before the pandemic, tourism was booming in Israel, with 4.55 million visitors in 2019 bringing $7.18 billion in revenue into the country, according to Tourism Ministry statistics.

The pilot program will come into effect on Sept. 19, allowing the entry of groups of five to 30 people on condition that they adhere to a host of virus-related measures, including providing a negative P.C.R. test taken 72 hours before landing and undergoing a second test as well as a serological examination upon arrival, the ministry said.

All travelers will be required to show proof of being fully vaccinated within the previous six months or proof of having received a booster shot, the ministry said, with a vaccine approved by the Food and Drug Administration or the European Medicines Union. The program will not be open to those coming from a list of “red” countries, which currently includes Bulgaria, Brazil, Mexico and Turkey.

This program, announced on Sunday, will be Israel’s second attempt to begin reopening to tourists. An earlier effort began in May, but was halted in August when infections surged with the spread of the highly contagious Delta variant.

Mr. Shani emphasized that only three to four of some 2,800 people who visited under the previous pilot program had contracted the virus.

George Horesh, the chief financial officer and co-founder of the tour company Alma-Israel, expressed concerns about the “bureaucratic complications” of requiring travelers to do several tests upon arrival — especially serological tests, which require drawing blood — but added that he thought the authorities would find a way to smooth the process.

“Our business was basically eliminated during the pandemic, but we think things are finally improving and are on the right track,” he said.

Adam Rasgon reports from Israel for The Times's Jerusalem bureau. He previously covered the Palestinian territories and the Arab world for The Times of Israel. More about Adam Rasgon

Travel Guide

• Things to Do
• Entry Requirements & Customs
• Visitor Information
• Getting Around
• Regions in Brief
• Tips on Accommodations
• Calendar of Events
• Getting There
• Tips on Dining
• Package Deals
• Special-Interest Vacations
• Sustainable Travel & Ecotourism
• Health & Safety
• Tips for Families
• Tips for Gay and Lesbian Travelers
• Tips for Senior Travelers
• Tips for Student Travelers
• Tips for Travelers with Disabilities
• Tips for Women Travelers
• Tips for Long-Term Visitors
• Active Pursuits
• Suggested Itineraries

Visitor Information in Israel

The Israel Ministry of Tourism maintains Israel Government Tourist Offices (IGTOs) in a number of countries throughout the world. The Ministry of Tourism's website has country-specific information for citizens of the U.S. and Commonwealth countries, as well as for many European countries. It also offers information about maps, special events in Israel, a schedule of conferences and conventions, information about tour groups, and special deals and advice for prospective visitors to Israel. On this website you'll also find the current rates of exchange vis-à-vis the new Israeli shekel.

For additional lively and very useful information, readers in the United States and Canada can contact the Israel Government Tourism Office (IGTO) North American Information Center (tel. 888/77-ISRAEL [477235]; www.goisrael.com). U.S. offices are at 6380 Wilshire Blvd., Ste. 1718, Los Angeles, CA 90048 (tel. 323/658-7463 ), and 800 Second Ave., New York, NY 10117 (tel. 212/499-5650 ).

The Jordan Tourism Board's official website  is one of the most efficient in the Middle East. 

Note : This information was accurate when it was published, but can change without notice. Please be sure to confirm all rates and details directly with the companies in question before planning your trip.

• All Regions
• Australia & South Pacific
• Caribbean & Atlantic
• Central & South America
• Middle East & Africa
• North America
• Washington, D.C.
• San Francisco
• New York City
• Los Angeles
• Arts & Culture
• Beach & Water Sports
• Local Experiences
• Food & Drink
• Outdoor & Adventure
• National Parks
• Winter Sports
• Travelers with Disabilities
• Family & Kids
• All Slideshows
• Hotel Deals
• Car Rentals
• Flight Alerts
• Credit Cards & Loyalty Points
• Cruise News
• Entry Requirements & Customs
• Car, Bus, Rail News
• Money & Fees
• Health, Insurance, Security
• Packing & Luggage
• -Arthur Frommer Online
• -Passportable
• Road Trip Guides
• Alaska Made Easy
• Great Vacation Ideas in the U.S.A.
• Best of the Caribbean
• Best of Mexico
• Cruise Inspiration
• Best Places to Go 2024

• Tour Operators
• Destinations
• Hotels & Resorts
• Agent Feedback
• Deals & Incentives
• On Location
• Industry Experts
• Sphere – HomeBased
• Digital Editions
• Subscribe today!

• Hotels and Resorts
• Types of Travel
• Subscribe Now

Here’s what Israel is doing to welcome tourists back by mid-year

Post date: Jan 5 2021

Date: Jan 5 2021

By: Travelweek Group

JERUSALEM — Israel has devised a strategic plan to welcome back tourists by mid-2021, an ambitious goal that comes as vaccination efforts ramp up in destination.

According to the Israel Ministry of Tourism, a series of initiatives has been launched to preserve the country’s tourist infrastructure and prepare the sector for the “day after the pandemic.” Rolling out throughout the year, this master tourism plan creates a holistic approach at a national level that includes a multi-million-dollar hotel grant, a new touring program and a campaign that focuses on Israel’s ‘green’ tourist islands.

“This past year has dealt a severe blow to the tourism industry,” said Minister of Tourism Orit Farkash-Hacohen. “Despite the difficulties, we were able to implement significant plans that helped the economy during this period, including the green islands outline, a NIS 300 million grant for hoteliers, early opening of ‘tzimmerim’ (B&Bs), a touring program with licenced guides, a personal security program in hotels and more.”

The Minister added that the Ministry is working with the Ministry of Health on an exit plan for the tourism industry, which “will operate under the principle that whoever was most affected in previous times will be among the first to open as we exit lockdown.” This will help ensure reduced costs that benefit both owners and consumers.

“A lot of work still lies ahead of us, we will find the right balance between the economy and the virus and we will give breathing space to the various sectors that have been affected in the industry,” he said.

Prior to the pandemic, Israel was on track to achieve a record number of tourist arrivals and was expecting to reach – for the first time ever – its five millionth tourist. But with the immediate closure of borders, the destination achieved just 850,000 arrivals in 2020, a staggering decrease of 81.3% compared to 2019 when it recorded an all-time high of 4.55 million tourist arrivals. The Ministry of Tourism reports that nearly 200,000 families employed in tourism lost their livelihoods.

But 2021 will be a different story, said Ministry of Tourism Director General Amir Halevi.

“Thanks to the vaccines, we are beginning to see the light of day, we are preparing tailored work plans and various tools for bringing back incoming tourism,” he said. “We hope that in the coming months we will once again witness incoming tourism traffic, which is critical to employment and an important engine in the Israeli economy.”

Here is an overview of new tourism initiatives:

GREEN TOURIST ISLANDS

The Ministry of Tourism, together with the Ministry of Health, spearheaded the declaration of Eilat and the Dead Sea hotels area as a ‘special tourist area.’ As such, Israelis have been permitted to vacation in these areas during the pandemic (subject to restrictions and a negative test result). A new campaign called ‘Bring Tourism Back to Israel’ was launched by the Ministry of Tourism to encourage Israelis to vacation in these areas.

HOTEL GRANT

The Minister of Tourism promoted the release of grants to hoteliers last year, lowering the property tax conditions that affected the allocation of such grants. A total of NIS 300 million will be given by the Ministry of Tourism in three instalments, the last of which will be distributed in May 2021.

GUIDED TOURS

In light of the crisis, which caused many tour guides to lose their jobs, the Ministry of Tourism budgeted for thousands of guided tours for the general public that will take place through March 2021 via the Israel Nature and Parks Authority (INPA). Also, for the first time, “guiding hours” will be funded by local authorities on behalf of INPA, allowing people to independently tour sites and attractions, thereby assisting the tourism industry. The Ministry of Tourism as allocated NIS 10 million to the INPA to finance the service of tour guides.

In addition, in order to further assist tour guides, the Ministry has advanced regulations that allow the renewal of a tour guide licence for one year without any conditions. It has also released guides from paying a licence fee for 2021.

WEBINARS & OVERSEAS MARKETING

The Ministry of Tourism has conducted dozens of webinars led by tourism experts in order to help tourism business owners upgrade their business in advance of tourism’s return. With the assistance of the Office’s Digital Technologies and Information Division, a total of 74 webinars were held in 2020 on topics relevant to the promotion of tourism to Israel, with thousands of agents and industry professionals participating.

In addition, the Ministry has launched campaigns aimed at encouraging domestic tourism during periods when it was possible to safely take a vacation, and continued to participate in virtual and in-person trade fairs in Europe, the United States and Asia. At the same time, it increased its digital activity abroad, particularly on social networks; in the past year, the Ministry’s social media pages gained 5.9 million followers.

INFRASTRUCTURE

In 2020, the Ministry of Tourism, in cooperation with the Israel Land Authority, has marketed 10 plots for hotel accommodation, thus advancing the process of building approximately 2,050 new hotel rooms. Also in 2020, a government decision was approved for the Minster of Tourism to create a master plan for tourism infrastructure at the national level. Work has already begun on a northern and southern outline in collaboration with research companies and local authorities. The plan takes into account accommodations, attractions, transportation and more.

Tags: Israel, Israel Ministry of Tourism, Wired

To learn more about the guidelines about travel to Israel - click here

SITES TO SIGNIFICANCE

Itineraries.

• LATEST INFORMATION AND UPDATES
• ISRAEL GOVERNMENT TOURISM OFFICES
• ISRAEL IN THE MEDIA
• STATISTICS AND RESEARCH

Photographers: Guy Yehieli, Adam Primer, Kfir Boltin, Linnea Andres, Kfir Sivan, Haim Yafim, Dana Fridlander, refael Ben Ari, Itamar Greenberg, Moshik Lindbaum, Ori Ackerman Video Credits: Israeli food channel, National Geographic

• OFFICIAL BROCHURE
• TERMS OF USE
• PRIVACY POLICY

FOR MORE DEALS:

Update April 12, 2024

Information for u.s. citizens in the middle east.

• Travel Advisories |
• Contact Us |
• MyTravelGov |

Find U.S. Embassies & Consulates

Travel.state.gov, congressional liaison, special issuance agency, u.s. passports, international travel, intercountry adoption, international parental child abduction, records and authentications, popular links, travel advisories, mytravelgov, stay connected, legal resources, legal information, info for u.s. law enforcement.

Replace or Certify Documents

Share this page:

Latest Information for U.S. Citizens

Information for U.S. Citizens in Israel, the West Bank, and Gaza

The Department reminds U.S. citizens of the continued need for caution and increased personal security awareness as security incidents often take place without warning. The security environment remains complex and can change quickly depending on the political situation and recent events. Please see the latest Israel Security Alert .

U.S. citizens should heed the  Travel Advisory  for Israel, the West Bank, and Gaza. The U.S. Embassy continues to closely monitor the dynamic security situation in Israel, the West Bank, and Gaza. There are active military operations and active rocket and mortar fire in Gaza and the Gaza periphery.  Terrorist groups, lone-actor terrorists and other violent extremists continue plotting possible attacks in Israel, the West Bank, and Gaza. Terrorists and violent extremists may attack with little or no warning, targeting tourist locations, transportation hubs, markets/shopping malls, and local government facilities. Violence can occur in Israel, the West Bank, and Gaza without warning. If you require emergency assistance while in Israel, the West Bank or Gaza, contact the  U.S. Embassy in Jerusalem  by email ([email protected]).

Individuals seeking to depart Gaza  through the Rafah crossing into Egypt should monitor the  Palestinian General Authority for Crossings and Borders’ Facebook Page  for a list of those approved to cross. U.S. citizens, Lawful Permanent Residents, or immediate family (as listed below) who desire our assistance and have not already provided their information to the Department of State, please email U.S. Embassy Jerusalem at  [email protected]  with a copy of the individual’s travel document as well as an explanation or proof of relationship.

The U.S. government does not control the crossing lists nor determine who is permitted to depart Gaza or enter Egypt. Individuals must assess their own safety and risks in attempting to cross the border. Individuals permitted to enter Egypt will likely receive a 72-hour Egyptian visa; all those who cross should have a plan for onward travel from Egypt in this timeframe. U.S. citizens, LPRs and their immediate family members who successfully enter Egypt and require further consular assistance should contact the  U.S. Embassy in Cairo  via the  U.S. Citizens Services Navigator .  Individuals may apply for a U.S. visa at any U.S. Embassy or Consulate; U.S. immigration laws and regulations will apply.

If a name has appeared on a crossing list since November 1, we understand those individuals will be permitted to cross as long as the border remains open for foreign nationals. We urge U.S. citizens, LPRs, and their immediate family members who have appeared on one of these lists to cross as soon as possible – there is no guarantee the border will remain open. We continue to work in partnership with Egypt and Israel towards safe passage for U.S. citizens, LPRs, and their immediate family members.

Immediate family members of U.S. citizens include:

• unmarried children under the age of 21, and
• parents of U.S. citizens.

If the U.S. citizen is under 21, immediate family will also include any siblings who are also unmarried and under 21.

Immediate family members of LPRs include:

• unmarried children under 21 years of age.

Enroll in STEP

Subscribe to get up-to-date safety and security information and help us reach you in an emergency abroad.

Recommended Web Browsers: Microsoft Edge or Google Chrome.

Make two copies of all of your travel documents in case of emergency, and leave one with a trusted friend or relative.

External Link

You are about to leave travel.state.gov for an external website that is not maintained by the U.S. Department of State.

Links to external websites are provided as a convenience and should not be construed as an endorsement by the U.S. Department of State of the views or products contained therein. If you wish to remain on travel.state.gov, click the "cancel" message.

You are about to visit:

Israelis, Palestinians grapple with slumping tourism after almost seven months of war

While tourism is gradually returning to israel, with some foreign airlines returning to fly in and out of the country as usual, the overall situation is not back to normal..

Tourism is yet to return to normal

COVID-19 Information

• Text: NJCOVID to 898-211
• ·
• Call NJPIES Call Center: 800-962-1253
• Call: 2-1-1
• Need help? Vaccine Appointment Support

Official Site of The State of New Jersey

The State of NJ site may contain optional links, information, services and/or content from other websites operated by third parties that are provided as a convenience, such as Google™ Translate. Google™ Translate is an online service for which the user pays nothing to obtain a purported language translation. The user is on notice that neither the State of NJ site nor its operators review any of the services, information and/or content from anything that may be linked to the State of NJ site for any reason. - Read Full Disclaimer

• Search close

New Jersey Historical Commission

History Pinned

Revolutionnj’s new history pinned program.

RevolutionNJ invites you to explore New Jersey’s past this Civic Season through the History Pinned program.

From June 1st – July 31st, five historic sites with connections to New Jersey’s civic history will be handing out unique History Pinned pin-backed buttons. Collective all five and win a prize!

2024 History Pinned Sites:

• Alice Paul Institute
• American Labor Museum
• Hoboken Historical Museum
• New Jersey State Museum
• T. Thomas Fortune Cultural Center

Details: The pin-backed buttons and History Pinned booklets will be available at each location. To receive your button, look for the History Pinned sign at the welcome desk or ask museum staff for assistance. Supplies are limited and will be distributed on a first-come, first-served basis.

To receive your prize, collect a button from each of the five sites. Then fill out the History Pinned Prize Form or tag a photo of yourself with your completed History Pinned booklet @revolutionnj on Instagram.

History Pinned Map

Please check visiting hours before traveling to each site as summer hours can differ.

Civic Season is a new tradition for self-discovery and civic upskilling, co-created by Gen Z and cultural institutions. This summer, discover your story and how you'll power our democracy, aided by a vast array of credible, relevant sources. Civic Season is the flagship program from Made By Us , a network of hundreds of museums, historic sites, libraries and archives unleashing access to history for younger generations who have the most at stake.

Application Overview Video

The New Jersey Historical Commission, a division of the Department of State, is now accepting applications for its inaugural, statewide Black Heritage Trail Program. Following the signing of the historic bill for the creation of the Black Heritage Trail program in New Jersey by Governor Phil Murphy in September 2022, the New Jersey Historical Commission hosted three community input meetings to receive various perspectives and visions for the framework and implementation of the program. This video is an overview of the Black Heritage Trail inaugural guidelines for nominations submitted in the 2024 fiscal year. Please note applications may be submitted prior to the deadline of Friday, March 8, 2024, at 2:00pm but they must be complete.

This video offers an overview of the program and the nomination process. It outlines the requirements for nominations and the preferred documentation style, in addition to providing samples of the materials needed for a comprehensive application. Furthermore, it offers a detailed step-by-step guide on how to complete an application, including instructions on how to create a map displaying the nomination location and GPS coordinates number.

US "Reviewing" Hamas Response On Ceasefire, Urges Israel Not To Attack Rafah

"I can confirm that Hamas has issued a response. We are reviewing that response now and discussing it with our partners in the region," State Department spokesman Matthew Miller told reporters.

The United States said Monday it was reviewing a response from Hamas to a ceasefire proposal as it renewed calls on Israel not to attack the packed Gaza city of Rafah.

CIA Director Bill Burns "is in the region working on this in real time," Miller said.

He declined to characterize the Hamas response, which the militants said was an acceptance of a ceasefire, but said the United States backed a deal to halt the fighting and free hostages.

"We continue to believe that a hostage deal is in the best interests of the Israeli people; it's in the best interests of the Palestinian people" Miller said.

As the United States reviews the Hamas reply, President Joe Biden's administration renewed calls on Israel not to attack Rafah after it issued evacuation orders.

"We have not seen a humanitarian plan that is credible and that is implementable," Miller said.

"We believe a military operation in Rafah right now would dramatically increase the suffering of the Palestinian people (and) would lead to an increase in loss of civilian life," he said.

Promoted Listen to the latest songs, only on JioSaavn.com

Biden earlier Monday spoke by telephone with Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, with the White House saying the president reiterated his "clear" stance on Rafah.

(Except for the headline, this story has not been edited by NDTV staff and is published from a syndicated feed.)

Track Budget 2023 and get Latest News Live on NDTV.com.

Track Latest News Live on NDTV.com and get news updates from India and around the world .

India Elections | Read Latest News on Lok Sabha Elections 2024 Live on NDTV.com . Get Election Schedule , information on candidates, in-depth ground reports and more - #ElectionsWithNDTV

Watch Live News:

Why some corals are better off dead

As scientists rush to save ailing corals elsewhere, in Venezuela locals are trying to kill off this stinky variety.

VALLE SECO, Venezuela — Estrella Villamizar grabbed the soft red and white coral by its stem and hacked it off with a blow of her wooden knife before tossing it in a bucket with other pieces she’d already ripped out of the Caribbean waters lapping against this deserted beach.

On the sea bed, stretching for a distance as far as the eye could see, a blanket of the dark coral swayed in the warm current.

As ocean temperatures reach record highs, scientists elsewhere have been rushing to save reefs , moving coral to land nurseries to preserve it and dreaming up novel ways to cool it off at sea. But here in Venezuela, reefs face a different kind of lethal threat: Unomia stolonifera , an invasive coral species that is smothering native varieties.

Hailing from Indonesia, the slimy cauliflower-looking coral has expanded across the shores of four states in Venezuela, covering at least some 1,000 square miles.

“At this point, it is almost certain that it will invade the entirety of the Caribbean,” says Villamizar, a tropical ecology professor at the Central University of Venezuela.

She is part of a team of biologists, chemists, villagers, and entrepreneurs fighting to keep Unomia at bay. It’s a battle they’re waging with limited tools. Years of economic duress have hollowed out the Latin American country’s research centers. Government budgets to do this kind of work, meanwhile, are nonexistent. So they have come up with out-of-the-box approaches, from creating underwater hacking machines to finding ways to turn the slimy coral into a usable product, making its harvesting a profitable business.

If left unchecked, Unomia could decimate local reefs and the animals and plants that depend on it.

Already, it’s devastating local villages. Fishers report that last year was one of their worst. Israel Sosa, a longtime fisherman in these waters, says his haul has dropped from about 33,000 pounds of Albacore fish in a 48-hour shift just a few years ago to closer to 220 pounds.

“If it kills the native coral, it would completely end the coast’s life,” says 55-year-old César Jove, who spends his afternoons cleaning the beach for tourists about 310 miles away, where Unomia made its first appearance more than a decade ago.

Ground zero

Marine biologist Juan Pedro Ruiz-Allais was the first to spot Unomia in 2007 inside Mochima National Park in northeastern Venezuela, where he spent most of his childhood. As soon as he spotted the tentacle-looking stems, he realized it was not a native species.

According to local fishermen, an aquarist allegedly introduced the coral to the area, hoping to harvest it and sell it as fish tank decoration. In its native Indonesia, Unomia has natural predators such as sea slugs that keep it in check. But without a natural predator outside of the Indo-Pacific, it’s spiraled out of control in Venezuela, Ruiz-Allais said.

Surveys he conducted along with other researchers showed Unomia taking over other species of coral and seagrass beds that serve as food sources and nurseries for fish and other animals. Some of these areas were already battered by overfishing and pollution.

Ruiz-Allais also found the invasive coral has proved to be more resilient than its native counterparts, thriving in a much broader range of temperatures and light.

The researcher said he alerted the government of the invasive species years ago but didn’t get a response.

The Ministry of Ecosocialism did not respond to a request for comment. Several people familiar with the matter said the government has barred researchers who depend on it for funding from talking about Unomia.

So Ruiz-Allais created a nonprofit, the Unomia Project, that has focused on educating citizens on how to identify the invasive coral and prevent it from spreading. They advise fishers to clean their nets and beach goers to wash bathing suits and diving gear that came into contact with Unomia.

Their budget, made up mostly of donations, hasn’t stretched far enough to cover a full-fledged census of the invaders, never mind eradicating them.

Based on the group’s observations, Ruiz-Allais calculates that more than 100 kilometers — or more than 60 miles — of shore, and about 8 million square meters — three square miles — of seabed are covered by Unomia in Mochima National Park alone.

Now, Ruiz-Allais fears that Venezuelan oil vessels are transporting the invasive coral to Cuba, where it started showing up last year , according to Cuban marine biologist José Espinosa Sáez.

In Valle Seco, some locals who depend on fishing and tourism have taken to ripping it out by hand using makeshift wooden knives.

Aside from looking like a slobbery dark carpet, Unomia has a strong rotten fish smell. “It’s disgusting, sometimes even the fish smell like it and you have to wash them with lemon and vinegar to get rid of the stench,” Jove said, adding that the coral also puts off tourists.

But locals’ efforts could backfire. The small pieces of Unomia left behind can grow into a new colony, said Mariano Oñoro, a coordinator with the Unomia Project.

A coral gun

To avoid that problem, Jorge García, an industrial designer and boat captain, has been working on developing machines to help save native corals.

On a recent afternoon, García aimed his contraption, an ultrasound gun, at a cluster of Unomia growing on a native coral. After he pulled the trigger, an ultrasound wave unmoored a cluster of the invasive species before García sucked it up with another machine, releasing a strong fishy smell.

García became involved in the quest to fight Unomia after learning about its devastating effects from Ruiz-Allais and his team. Given his background as an industrial designer specializing in machine building, he decided to come up with better ways to remove Unomia.

García, who owns a vessel rebuilding company, Grenyachts, also had the funds to do it, overcoming another major obstacle in fighting Unomia. So far, he has spent almost $1 million out of pocket, which he expects to make back by renting out the machinery to international organizations and governments that may want to remove Unomia in the future. That includes Venezuelan officials, who already granted him permission to carry out some of his research.

With his current setup, he can clean one square meter, or around 10 square feet, of Unomia-covered native coral in one minute, compared to the hour or more it would take a professional diver to do it.

“This is a fight for decades, generations,” he said.

An invasive business

Meanwhile, Project Coralien, a group of marine biologists and chemists that has received some government funding to research Unomia, is looking at another way of overcoming the lack of funds. The group is trying to find a commercial use for the coral, so harvesting it becomes a business.

One idea is to make it into a waterproofing material or a fluorescent material similar to rhodamine, a dye used in biotechnology. So far, these ideas seem promising, but to test them out, the team needs a molecular magnetic resonance imaging machine to separate Unomia’s chemical compounds and determine their specific uses.

Rubén Machado, who heads the atomic energy department at the Venezuelan Institute for Scientific Research, remembers a time when the country had seven such machines. Now they have none. Once the government defunded research institutions, the equipment was not maintained and became obsolete. Looters vandalized and damaged one of the machines.

Replacing the equipment is expensive — and complicated. Foreign companies are subject to sanctions when doing business in Venezuela, so its makers are reluctant to sell it to the researchers. Álvaro Álvarez, Project Coralien’s chief chemist, wrote a letter to the United Nations authorities who oversee sanctions, asking for an exception. So far, he has received no answer.

Machado says his group will keep trying because he believes making Unomia profitable is the only way to eradicate it.

“The possibility is there,” he said. “But we need to be able to prove it.”

This story was produced in partnership with the Pulitzer Center.

Why is Christian Science in our name?

Our name is about honesty. The Monitor is owned by The Christian Science Church, and we’ve always been transparent about that.

The Church publishes the Monitor because it sees good journalism as vital to progress in the world. Since 1908, we’ve aimed “to injure no man, but to bless all mankind,” as our founder, Mary Baker Eddy, put it.

Here, you’ll find award-winning journalism not driven by commercial influences – a news organization that takes seriously its mission to uplift the world by seeking solutions and finding reasons for credible hope.

Your subscription makes our work possible.

We want to bridge divides to reach everyone.

Get stories that empower and uplift daily.

Already a subscriber? Log in to hide ads .

Select free newsletters:

A selection of the most viewed stories this week on the Monitor's website.

Every Saturday

Hear about special editorial projects, new product information, and upcoming events.

Select stories from the Monitor that empower and uplift.

Every Weekday

An update on major political events, candidates, and parties twice a week.

Twice a Week

Stay informed about the latest scientific discoveries & breakthroughs.

Every Tuesday

A weekly digest of Monitor views and insightful commentary on major events.

Every Thursday

Latest book reviews, author interviews, and reading trends.

Every Friday

A weekly update on music, movies, cultural trends, and education solutions.

The three most recent Christian Science articles with a spiritual perspective.

Every Monday

After a violent coup, the Taliban turn their sights to boosting tourism

Since taking over Afghanistan, Taliban officials have invested in a hospitality school in the hopes of increasing tourism. To entice Western visitors, luxury hotels provide women from other countries more freedoms than local women.

• By Riazat Butt Associated Press

April 30, 2024 | Kabul, Afghanistan

Around 30 men are crammed into a Kabul classroom, part of the debut student cohort at a Taliban-run institute training tourism and hospitality professionals.

It’s a motley crew. One student is a model. Another is 17 and has no job history.

The students vary in age, education level, and professional experience. They’re all men – Afghan women are banned from studying beyond sixth grade – and they don’t know anything about tourism or hospitality. But they are all eager to promote a different side of Afghanistan. And the Taliban are happy to help.

Afghanistan’s rulers are pariahs on the global stage, largely because of their restrictions on women and girls. The economy is struggling, infrastructure is poor, and poverty is rife.

And yet, foreigners are visiting the country, encouraged by the sharp drop in violence, increased flight connections with hubs like Dubai, and the bragging rights that come with vacationing in an unusual destination. The numbers aren’t huge – they never were – but there’s a buzz around Afghan tourism.

In 2021, there were 691 foreign tourists. In 2022, that figure rose to 2,300. Last year, there were 7,000.

Mohammad Saeed, the head of the Tourism Directorate in Kabul, said the biggest foreign visitor market is China because of its proximity and large population. Afghanistan also has advantages over some of its neighbors.

“They’ve told me they don’t want to go to Pakistan because it’s dangerous and they get attacked. The Japanese have said this to me also,” Mr. Saeed said. “This is good for us.”

But there are disadvantages, too.

Visas are difficult and expensive to access. Many countries severed ties with Afghanistan after the Taliban returned to power, and no country recognizes them as the legitimate rulers of the country.

Afghan embassies either closed or suspended their operations. There’s an ongoing power struggle between Afghanistan’s embassies and consulates staffed by people from the former Western-backed administration, and those under the Taliban administration’s full control.

Mr. Saeed concedes there are obstacles for Afghan tourism to develop but said he was working with ministries to overcome them.

His ultimate aim is to have a visa on arrival for tourists, but that could be years away. There are problems with the road network, which is half-paved or non-existent in some parts of the country, and airlines largely avoid Afghan airspace.

The capital Kabul has the most international flights, but no Afghan airport has direct routes with major tourist markets like China, Europe, or India.

Despite the challenges, Mr. Saeed wants Afghanistan to become a tourism powerhouse, an ambition that appears to be backed by the Taliban’s top leaders.

“I have been sent to this department on the instructions of the elders [ministers]. They must trust me because they’ve sent me to this important place.”

The students also have aspirations. The model, Ahmed Massoud Talash, wants to learn about Afghanistan’s picturesque spots for Instagram posts and its history for media appearances.

Business school graduate Samir Ahmadzai wants to open a hotel but thinks he should know more about tourism and hospitality first.

“They hear that Afghanistan is backwards, poverty and all about war,” said Mr. Ahmadzai. “We have 5,000 years of history. There should be a new page of Afghanistan.”

Classes include Afghan handicrafts and anthropology basics.

An unofficial subject is how to interact with foreign women and how their behavior or habits could clash with local customs and edicts. Examples might be women smoking or eating in public, to mixing freely with men who are not related to them by blood or marriage.

The Taliban have imposed a dress code for women and requirements for them to have a male guardian, or mahram, when they travel. Dining alone, traveling alone, and socializing with other women in public have become harder. With gyms closed to women and beauty salons banned, there are fewer places where they can meet outside the home.

In a sign that the country is preparing for more overseas visitors, the country’s only five-star hotel, the Serena, has reopened its women’s spa and salon for foreign females after a monthslong closure.

Foreigners must show their passport to access services. Women with “born in Afghanistan” on their ID are barred.

The restrictions on Afghan women and girls weigh on overseas travel companies, who say they try to focus on the positive aspect of cultural interactions by making donations, supporting local projects, or only visiting family-run businesses.

Shane Horan, the founder of Rocky Road Travel, said visiting Afghanistan should not be seen as an endorsement of any particular government or political regime.

“Ultimately, the goal should be to support responsible tourism practices that contribute positively to the local economy and foster mutual respect and understanding, while also remaining cognizant of the broader political context in Afghanistan.”

He said there was no input from authorities about what tour groups saw or did, and that the company worked closely with a women’s rights organization in Afghanistan. A percentage of the tour cost went into supporting this organization’s programs, Mr. Horan added.

There are no women at the Institute of Tourism & Hotel Management. The students don’t mention it. But an official at the Tourism Directorate does.

“It’s a heartbreaking situation,” said the official, who wished to remain anonymous for fear of reprisals. “Even female family members ask if they can study here. But there was a change in policy with the change in government. The women who were studying before [the takeover] never came back. They never graduated.”

This story was reported by The Associated Press.

Help fund Monitor journalism for $11/ month

Already a subscriber? Login

Monitor journalism changes lives because we open that too-small box that most people think they live in. We believe news can and should expand a sense of identity and possibility beyond narrow conventional expectations.

Our work isn't possible without your support.

Unlimited digital access $11/month.

Digital subscription includes:

• Unlimited access to CSMonitor.com.
• CSMonitor.com archive.
• The Monitor Daily email.
• No advertising.
• Cancel anytime.

Related stories

The monitor's view why the taliban can’t ignore girls’ education in the muslim world, the monitor's view the islamic case for freeing afghan women, secret schools defy taliban to offer afghan girls light and hope, share this article.

Link copied.

Give us your feedback

We want to hear, did we miss an angle we should have covered? Should we come back to this topic? Or just give us a rating for this story. We want to hear from you.

Dear Reader,

About a year ago, I happened upon this statement about the Monitor in the Harvard Business Review – under the charming heading of “do things that don’t interest you”:

“Many things that end up” being meaningful, writes social scientist Joseph Grenny, “have come from conference workshops, articles, or online videos that began as a chore and ended with an insight. My work in Kenya, for example, was heavily influenced by a Christian Science Monitor article I had forced myself to read 10 years earlier. Sometimes, we call things ‘boring’ simply because they lie outside the box we are currently in.”

If you were to come up with a punchline to a joke about the Monitor, that would probably be it. We’re seen as being global, fair, insightful, and perhaps a bit too earnest. We’re the bran muffin of journalism.

But you know what? We change lives. And I’m going to argue that we change lives precisely because we force open that too-small box that most human beings think they live in.

The Monitor is a peculiar little publication that’s hard for the world to figure out. We’re run by a church, but we’re not only for church members and we’re not about converting people. We’re known as being fair even as the world becomes as polarized as at any time since the newspaper’s founding in 1908.

We have a mission beyond circulation, we want to bridge divides. We’re about kicking down the door of thought everywhere and saying, “You are bigger and more capable than you realize. And we can prove it.”

If you’re looking for bran muffin journalism, you can subscribe to the Monitor for $15. You’ll get the Monitor Weekly magazine, the Monitor Daily email, and unlimited access to CSMonitor.com.

Subscribe to insightful journalism

Subscription expired

Your subscription to The Christian Science Monitor has expired. You can renew your subscription or continue to use the site without a subscription.

Return to the free version of the site

If you have questions about your account, please contact customer service or call us at 1-617-450-2300 .

This message will appear once per week unless you renew or log out.

Session expired

Your session to The Christian Science Monitor has expired. We logged you out.

No subscription

You don’t have a Christian Science Monitor subscription yet.

• Election 2024
• Entertainment
• Newsletters
• Photography
• Personal Finance
• AP Investigations
• AP Buyline Personal Finance
• AP Buyline Shopping
• Press Releases
• Israel-Hamas War
• Russia-Ukraine War
• Global elections
• Asia Pacific
• Latin America
• Middle East
• Election Results
• Delegate Tracker
• AP & Elections
• Auto Racing
• 2024 Paris Olympic Games
• Movie reviews
• Book reviews
• Personal finance
• Financial Markets
• Business Highlights
• Financial wellness
• Artificial Intelligence
• Social Media

Cyclone Hidaya weakens as it moves toward Tanzania’s coastline, officials say

Public minibus are submerged in the flooded streets of Dar salaam, Tanzania Thursday, April 25, 2024. Flooding in Tanzania caused by weeks of heavy rain has killed 155 people and affected more than 200,000 others, the prime minister said Thursday. (AP Photo)

FILE - Giraffes and zebras congregate under the shade of a tree in the afternoon in Mikumi National Park, Tanzania on March 20, 2018. The World Bank has suspended funding for a tourism project in Tanzania that caused the suffering of tens of thousands of villagers, according to a U.S.-based rights group that has long urged the global lender to take such action. (AP Photo/Ben Curtis, File)

Schoolchildren stranded on a damaged River Zingiziwa bridge in Dar Esalaam, Tanzania Thursday, April 25, 2024. Flooding in Tanzania caused by weeks of heavy rain has killed 155 people and affected more than 200,000 others, the prime minister said Thursday. (AP Photo)

• Copy Link copied

NAIROBI, Kenya (AP) — Cyclone Hidaya significantly weakened as it approached Tanzania’s coastline, the country’s meteorology department said Saturday.

Officials warned residents to remain cautious, however, as the cyclone brings heavy rain and strong winds to the country through Sunday. The meteorology department did not say what the cyclone’s updated maximum wind speeds were.

A major blackout hit most of Tanzania Saturday as heavy rains and strong winds from Hidaya lashed the country following weeks of flooding in the region.

Ferry services between Tanzania’s commercial hub, Dar es Salaam, and Zanzibar were suspended as Hidaya earlier approached the East African coast with maximum winds of 120 kph (33 mph) and powerful gusts.

Reports of trees falling due to strong winds experienced in Mafia island were shared by local media by Saturday afternoon.

Authorities had warned residents to exercise caution as the intensity of the cyclone increases.

The weather service said more than usual amounts of rainfall were recorded in coastal areas overnight. The Tanzania Red Cross Society has been carrying out preparedness campaigns along the coast.

Heavy rains and flooding in recent weeks in Tanzania and the rest of East Africa have left some 155 people dead, authorities said. More than 200,000 others have been affected.