The United Arab Emirates has announced it will resume issuing visas to all tourists fully vaccinated against COVID-19 as of Monday, AFP reported Sunday.
The move comes amid a drop in coronavirus infections in the oil-rich Gulf country, after it reported less than 1,000 cases per day last week for the first time in months.
The UAE's decision to reopen its doors to tourists from all countries was taken in order "to achieve sustainable recovery and economic growth", the official WAM news agency said.
Those eligible would have to be fully inoculated with one of the COVID-19 vaccines approved by the World Health Organization, which include AstraZeneca, Johnson & Johnson, Moderna, Pfizer/BioNTech, Sinopharm and Sinovac.
"The decision applies to citizens of all countries, including those arriving from previously banned countries," WAM said.
"Passengers arriving on tourist visas must take a mandatory PCR test at the airport," it added.
The UAE has so far recorded more than 715,000 cases of COVID-19 and 2,036 deaths.
Israel and the United Arab Emirates normalized ties between them last year, in the agreement brokered by the US and known as the Abraham Accords.
Foreign Minister Yair Lapid in June became the first Israeli minister to embark on an official visit to the UAE, where he officially inaugurated Israel’s embassy and consulate in Dubai.
In June, the UAE officially inaugurated its embassy in Tel Aviv.