When the airport at Timna opens in April 2017, Israeli passengers flying to and from Eilat on internal flights will also be able to make duty-free purchases and buy products tax-free, similar to the existing duty-free exemption at Ben Gurion Airport. The duty free section at Timna, currently under construction, will include tax-free stores selling alcohol, cigarettes, clothing, and food items, among other things.
"The purpose is to strengthen Eilat, and make Israelis prefer it to overseas destinations. I'm convinced that a great many Israelis will prefer Eilat as an alternative to other places," Minister of Transport and Intelligence and Atomic Energy Yisrael Katz said.
Ramon Airport in Timna is the first civilian airport built in Israel since independence. The new airport, which will replace the old Eilat Airport, will be Israel's second international airport, mainly for flights to and from Europe and internal flights. The terminal will have a capacity of two million passengers annually, with parking facilities for wide and medium-bodied airplanes, operations areas, roads, and a parking lot for 600 private vehicles.
Ramon Airport can also serve as an alternative airport in an emergency. The project will cost an estimated NIS 1.7 billion. When the new airport goes into operation, the removal of the current airport in Eilat will free prime real estate in the heart of the city covering an area one quarter the size of the Red Sea resort..
Published by Globes [online], Israel business news - www.globes-online.com - on September 18, 2016
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