Eilat recently hosted a senior delegation from the Hungarian airline Wizz Air, which arrived in the city with the aim of examining the possibility of establishing a permanent operating base at Ramon Airport. The visit constitutes another stage in a process led by the company toward establishing a base in Israel, with an investment previously estimated at around $1B.
The delegation was led by Akos Bus, Vice President and Head of Airport Development at the company, who met in the city with Eilat Mayor Eli Lankri and the Transport Ministry Director General Moshe Ben Zaken. Later, the Transport Minister, Miri Regev, also joined the tour and met with company representatives at Ramon Airport.
The Israeli government pushes to strengthen Ramon and the connection to Eilat
The visit follows earlier meetings held by Wizz Air CEO Jozsef Varadi with the Transport Ministry and with the Transport Minister, as part of a government initiative intended to strengthen aviation activity from the south of the country. The government has already approved a joint initiative by the Transport Minister Miri Regev, the Finance Minister Bezalel Smotrich, and Eilat Mayor Eli Lankri, aimed at supporting the operation of the Ben Gurion–Ramon route and attracting international activity to the airport.
According to sources at the municipality, a permanent base in Eilat could position the city as a significant regional hub for the company and provide a substantial boost to tourism.
Presenting Eilat’s advantages
In the meeting with the mayor and the Director General of the Transport Ministry, company representatives received a broad overview of the southern resort city, including the climate that enables year-round tourism, the variety of international events, the extensive hotel supply that includes approximately 12,000 rooms along with thousands of Airbnb units, and the many attractions spread throughout the city and its surroundings.
Mayor Eli Lankri emphasized that Eilat is in a period of accelerated development, including new investments in tourism infrastructure, the addition of hotel rooms, the planning of an international medical faculty in cooperation with the University of Debrecen, and the establishment of an MRO maintenance center at Ramon Airport. “We hope that the possibility of establishing a base will mature into a significant move that will strengthen the city and inbound tourism,” said Lankri, thanking the Transport Minister for her support.
The Director General of the Transport Ministry, Moshe Ben Zaken, emphasized that establishing the base at Ramon would benefit all sides. “It will be a win-win for everyone,” he said.
A positive impression of the city
Senior Wizz Air executives themselves noted that they were impressed by the tourism potential and urban development, and especially by Eilat’s ability to attract visitors throughout the entire year. According to them, with the expected arrival of approximately 300 new aircraft in the coming year, the company is looking for bases that will operate year-round, and Eilat clearly meets that criterion.
During the visit, Tourism Corporation CEO Yossi Chen and Vice President of Marketing Liat Agassi presented data from the years preceding the coronavirus pandemic and the “Iron Swords” war. At that time, approximately 50 international flights per week operated at Ramon, with around 270,000 passengers during the winter season. “The data show that the infrastructure at Ramon is prepared for extensive activity,” noted Chen. Agassi emphasized that tourist satisfaction was particularly high, with the vast majority recommending Eilat and many saying they would return to visit.
The CEO of the Eilat Hotels Association, Itamar Elitzur, added that a Wizz Air base could change the face of tourism in the city and significantly increase the number of vacationers from abroad.
During their stay, company representatives visited the main tourism sites in the area, including the Dolphin Reef, the Underwater Observatory, and Timna Park, and also conducted a professional tour of Ramon Airport.
The visit concluded with a sense of cautious optimism on the part of all involved, and company representatives emphasized that the direction is clear. “We want this to happen, and that is what we are aiming for.”