Safe travel has always played a major role in a traveler’s decision to visit a given country. There are many factors, both general and personal, that must be weighed when considering a trip to any destination. After consulting with a qualified travel professional, informed decisions emerge for the inquiring traveler.
Is Israel a safe place to visit for you and your family? In short, you can feel secure in this amazing destination, and all forays to tourist attractions meliorate with a sense of well-being devoid of personal safety concerns. Israel has earned the moniker: The Miracle on the Mediterranean. Travel to Israel and enjoy the miracles of a land filled with promise and mystery.
The media has always maintained a precarious relationship with the Modern State of Israel where objective reporting is a rare find indeed. However, this unfair reporting has not stemmed the growing tide of tourists who flock to this country’s shores for enjoyment and adventure. The personal safety of all visitors to the Holy Land has always been a core value for the country’s leaders who have facilitated huge infrastructure investments to guarantee the safety of each and every tourist who travels to Israel.
Any endeavor is inherently imbued with various levels of risk. This risk can be estimated mathematically, and numbers and statistics vis a vis Israel are compelling and paint a much different picture than the one painted by the media. The Holy Land has remained a major international tourist hub due to the high quality and value of the experiences that have been reported by travelers.
Israel’s vast repertoire of varied tourist attractions coupled with its draw as a major destination for the curious as well as believers in the world’s monotheistic religions makes it a premium destination for any avid traveler. We will examine some of the issues which should be considered when deciding to travel to Israel. Informed decisions, regardless of luck, are always recommended.
When conducting a comparative analysis of personal safety risk in varied destinations, Israel in general, and Tel Aviv city in particular, it’s commercial capital, rate quite well. Israel has consistently maintained an extremely low crime rate. Tel Aviv is especially safe, and the numbers prove that there is only a modicum of crime when compared to other metropolitan cities which share similar populations.
With its multidimensional geographical features including four seas, desert climes, and snow-capped mountains, Israel is a utopia for tourists, and they have remained outside of the statistics since Israel’s independence in 1948. The highest concentration of incidents of crime took the form of vehicle thefts, petty larcenies, and residential burglaries. Historically, these types of crimes have been non-violent, and not targeted tourists in general. Additionally, Israel is one of the only places in the world where you don’t have to hide your wallet while using public transport. Just try that in destinations like Brazil, Bangkok, or Barcelona.
Israel’s roads and highways are in excellent condition and reflect a deep investment in infrastructure that has typified Israel’s continuous efforts to modernize and improve the quality of life of its residents, and in turn, visitors as well. This network of roads are occasionally congested, just as one would find in any metropolis, but these incidents are avoided through conscientious planning. Major road signage appears in Hebrew, English, and Arabic, and for those who prefer to use public transport; it is regular, efficient and dependable.
Ben Gurion Airport, the primary international gateway, maintains one of the world’s most comprehensive security screening regimes for travelers. To facilitate a seamless and convenient screening process, travelers can take advantage of the prescreening procedure known as the Mokdan process. Other innovations are constantly coming on-line in order to maintain high standards of security and safety while streamlining the screening process.
Israel’s major seaports in Ashdod and Haifa have hosted an increasing number of cruise ship visits where passengers leave the ships for day tours to a myriad of destinations. Israel is geographically small, and many of it’s most unforgettable attractions are doable in a day.
A sparkling new tour bus turns into the entranceway to the Church of the Dormition, taking its place alongside other busses. This is The Mount Zion parking area which is adjacent to the renowned Zion Gate entrance to Jerusalem’s old city. A television news crew rushes towards the bus as a group of excited tourists make their way to the gate. The news reporter thrusts her microphone towards a small cluster of tourists who await their friends and family. She asks, “Do you feel safe here in the Holy Land?” A middle-aged gentleman replies calmly, “I come from New York, and to be quite honest with you, I feel safer here than I do at home.” He said.
This is just another testament to the feelings of safety felt by tourists visiting Israel’s holy sites now. Therefore, feel free to book a tour now, and join the growing family of foreign incoming tourists who now have unforgettable memories from this must-do, bucket list destination.
By Brent J. Mitchell
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