EU countries agree to open up to Israeli tourists

FILE PHOTO: People enjoy a Sunday at the beach as coronavirus disease (COVID-19) restrictions ease around the country, in Castiglione della Pescaia, Italy, May 2, 2021. REUTERS/Jennifer Lorenzini/File Photo

BRUSSELS - The European Union on Thursday added Israel to the list of countries who's citizens will be allowed to visit for leisure, as Europe seeks to revive travel and salvage summer tourism from tough COVID-19 restrictions.

Reopening to Israeli tourists comes as the EU is moving to ease its current blanket ban on non-essential travel from foreign countries, with only a handful of exceptions, including New Zealand and Australia.

 

(Reporting by Gabriela Baczynska; Editing by Alex Richardson)