Tourism, now with takeout: Wolt delivery service arrives in Eilat

The delivery app Wolt began operating in the southern resort city of Eilat on Tuesday, providing a convenient option for tourists and residents to access swift delivery from 100 restaurants, stores, and local attractions.

“We are delighted to launch in Eilat, Israel’s tourist city, especially when Israeli tourists are starting to return,” said Lior Eshkol, general manager of Wolt Israel. “Our goal is to enhance the experience of tourists arriving in the city with the Wolt app, which they love and are familiar with from home, while connecting them with local Eilat businesses throughout the city – not just in tourist areas.

“We have been working for months and months on launching the service in Eilat.”

On average, around 15,000 Israeli tourists visit Eilat each week. In addition, the city has around 50,000 residents. Wolt will be available to these shoppers from 9 a.m. to 11 p.m.

Beyond the restaurants, buyers will have access to products from electronic stores, which are popular with tourists because of their VAT-free status. For the first time, it will be possible to order a phone without paying VAT; it will be delivered quickly by Wolt, though that service is only expected to be available in the coming weeks.

Tickets to local attractions, from the Underwater Observatory to laser tag, will also be available for purchase.

Wolt was planning to open in Eilat, but encountered setbacks from the war

The company had planned to launch Wolt in Eilat in November. However, the move was delayed because of the October 7 massacre.

Around 60,000 residents of southern Israel were evacuated to the coastal city and were living in hotels. That number has substantially declined as these residents have found more permanent homes in Eilat and other towns.

Wolt began operating in Israel in 2018 in Tel Aviv and now has a presence in more than 200 cities and towns throughout the country.