A few weeks ago, Zach and I returned to the United States after spending time in Israel. I wanted to personally share what we experienced and what I believe the coming months will look like for tourism.
During our time there, Zach and I met each day with our trusted office partners, hotel management teams, and other key partners on the ground. We also conducted hotel inspections and traveled throughout the country to see firsthand what conditions were really like.
We never felt unsafe.
In fact, quite the opposite. We experienced Israel as a country returning to its normal rhythm. Restaurants were busy, roads had their typical traffic, businesses were operating, and the biblical sites we visit were open and welcoming travelers once again.
We understand that what is shown in the media can sometimes create a very different picture. While there is still activity and uncertainty within the broader region, our firsthand experience traveling within Israel was that tourism is returning and that the country is prepared to welcome travelers.
This is especially important as we look toward the months ahead. We already have groups continuing with their plans to travel beginning this fall. With evangelical tourism traditionally increasing in October following the Jewish holidays in September, we expect travel to continue building through the remainder of 2026 and into 2027.
For me, this decision is not simply about business. It is personal.
The safety and well-being of our travelers have always been our highest priority. That is why Zach and I felt it was important to travel to Israel ourselves – to experience the country firsthand, meet with the people we trust, inspect the hotels, visit the sites, and see for ourselves what our travelers will experience.
We would never ask our guests to travel somewhere we were not comfortable traveling ourselves.
After being there, we returned home encouraged and confident about Israel’s readiness to welcome our groups once again.
We know there will always be questions when traveling to a region that has experienced conflict, and we will continue to monitor the situation closely. But based on what we personally experienced, we believe the time is right to begin looking forward to Israel once again.
We are excited to help you and your groups return to the Holy Land – to walk where Jesus walked, experience the land of the Bible, and see Scripture come alive in a way that can only happen by being there.
Thank you for trusting imagine Tours & Travel. We don’t take that trust lightly.
We look forward to walking alongside you on the journey.
Rick Ricart
Owner, imagine Tours & Travel