Victoria has signed a Letter of Intent with Israel’s national airline to secure non-stop flights between Israel and Australia.
Minister for Industry and Innovation, Ben Carroll, was joined by EL AL CEO, Dina Ben Tal Ganancia, in Tel Aviv yesterday to sign the document and commit to working together to secure the Tel Aviv to Melbourne route by June 2024.
“We’re partnering with EL AL, Israel’s national airline, to back direct flights between Melbourne and Tel Aviv to strengthen business connections and create jobs locally,” said Minister Carroll.
“More international flights to such an important trading partner will power our economy and boost our status as a key destination for tourism, trade and investment.”
The airline’s intention is to operate three services per week, which are expected to add 44,000 seats to Melbourne each year, deliver a $48 million annual boost to the state’s economy and create an estimated 155 jobs in aviation and tourism.
Once operational, the flights will provide a non-stop air link between Israel and Australia and position Melbourne as the airline’s hub for passengers travelling to destinations across Australia and New Zealand, said Minister Carroll.
Israel is considered one of the most advanced market economies in the world, with the country ranked 20th in the World Economic Forum’s Global Competitiveness Report and third in the 2020 Global Fintech Rankings report, after the US and the UK.
Recognising Israel’s importance as a key strategic partner, the Victorian Government established its Trade and Investment Office in Tel Aviv in 2017 through an exclusive agreement with the Israel Australia Chamber of Commerce.
“We look forward to launching our first ever non-stop flights to Melbourne as we position Victoria as Israel’s gateway to Australia. We thank the Victorian Government for its support,” said Ms Ben Tal Ganancia.
Minister Carroll said Israel was also an important market for the state’s international education sector, with 45% of Israeli students studying in Australia enrolled in Victorian institutions in 2019.
