Traveling to the Middle East: Is it safe to travel to Egypt, Jordan, and Saudi Arabia?
The conflict between Israel and Palestine risks expanding to other countries in the Middle East. Find out if it is safe to visit the region now and what safety measures tourists are advised to take
The Hamas attack on Israel not only became the largest clash between Israelis and Palestinians in recent years, but also led to international discussions about the world being on the brink of World War III. In addition, the conflict between Israel and Palestine risks escalating, as neighboring countries may enter the war.
And despite the fact that some airlines continue to operate flights to Israel, tourists are urged to refrain from traveling to the Middle East and the eastern Mediterranean. Moreover, according to The Independent, the Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office (FCDO) warns Britons that standard travel insurance will be invalid if a tourist decides to travel to a war zone, as any form of tourism is completely inappropriate in the current circumstances.
Can I go on vacation to Egypt, Jordan and Saudi Arabia now?
According to the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, tourists should refrain from traveling to Iraq, Lebanon and Syria. As for traveling to other countries in the region, the FCDO names several safe destinations that tourists can currently choose for themselves:
- Egypt: most of the country is off-limits, but tourist areas remain accessible to tourists. In particular, this includes the entire Red Sea coast, the Nile Valley from the Mediterranean to the border with Sudan, including Abu Simbel, Aswan, Luxor, Cairo, Alexandria, and the pyramids.
- Jordan: remains relatively safe, but tourists are warned that a 3-kilometer zone along the Syrian border is prohibited.
- Saudi Arabia: is also a relatively safe country, but tourists are not allowed to approach a 10-kilometer strip of territory along the Yemeni border.
Similar warnings have been issued by the governments of Australia and the United States.
In general, it is believed that these countries are quite safe to visit, as the planes that make the flights bypass Israel during their flights. However, tourists are warned that there have been terrorist attacks in these countries, and therefore there is a possibility of further attacks.
Can I travel to the Mediterranean now?
Currently, all calls to Israeli ports have been canceled, however, cruises in the Mediterranean, Suez Canal and Red Sea continue. Cruise companies adjust their routes in advance, depending on the current situation in the region, so there is no danger. However, tourists are warned about the ban on taking photos and videos of military property or near it.
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Is there a threat to visiting Arab and Islamic countries?
In connection with the armed attack on Israel, there is a high probability of demonstrations and unrest in the government in a number of Arab and Islamic countries, including Morocco and Oman. Therefore, the Foreign Ministries of these countries warn of a "continuing threat," call for the avoidance of any gatherings that may lead to protests, and ask to be attentive to local and regional events that may provoke public unrest.
Tourism in countries where hostilities are taking place: security measures
Traveling to regions where active hostilities are concentrated is associated with a number of risks for tourists, and therefore ordinary travel insurance policies do not apply in such cases. The solution to this is health insurance with military risk coverage, but there are few companies in the world that offer such insurance policies.
If you are planning to travel to safe regions of Ukraine in the near future, we strongly recommend purchasing insurance that covers war-related risks. You can purchase such insurance on the Visit Ukraine website. Read more about the benefits of insurance policies covering military risks here.
We remind you! russia's invasion of Ukraine, Hamas's attack on Israel, and the conflict between the United States and China are making people around the world increasingly talk about the threat of World War III. Read our previous article to find out which countries could potentially become a safe haven for people in the event of a global war.
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Persons can visit hotels and stay there (outside hotel room) only if they wear respirator or face mask (including homemade mask), so that the nose and mouth are covered.
Hotel guests are obliged to keep the 1.5 meters distance.
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