Further Logistical information – Travel, Accomodation etc;

Dear Colleagues and Participants in the forthcoming ABS World Conference

Enclosed please find more logistical information concerning Travel, Accommodation, Visas, Invitation Letters and Post Conference Field Trips

Registration:

Registration on the web site  https://world.absborderlands.org/  must be completed no later than 1st November. Submitted papers not registered by this date will have the papers removed from the conference program.

The registration fee will cover the cost of the conference sessions, coffee and lunch breaks, the conference dinner and the main field trip along the Jordanian and Egyptian borders. If we do manage to cross the borders (dependent on the political situation at any given time) participants will have to pay their own visa fees, and this should be arranged, where possible,  in advance of arrival.

Partners who are accompanying conference participants and who  who wish to participate in the conference and / or the field trip must pay a full registration fee, which we have kept as low as possible.

Enclosed is a template of personal acceptance letter which may be used for requests for funding and for visa applications. Anyone who requires such a letter should inform us as soon as possible.

It is incumbent upon every participant to make their own travel and accommodation arrangements:

The Conference will start with an evening social gathering and get together (probably on the beach) on Sunday 12th February and finish in the evening of Thursday 16th February and you should plan your travel accordingly. There will be three full days of sessions and one full day field trip, with all sessions taking place at the Eilat campus of Ben-Gurion University. There will be a conference dinner on one evening, while the rest of the days will finish with plenty of time to chillout at the many local eateries and bars down on the sea shore.

Travel:

 Almost all flights into Israel arrive at Ben-Gurion airport (Tel Aviv – TLV). You should check the local flights from there to the Ramon airport in Eilat. There are comfortable bus services from Tel Aviv  (especially for those who wish to arrive early and spend the weekend in Tel Aviv) but it is a long ride (about six hours).

https://www.beinharimtours.com/how-to-get-from-tel-aviv-to-eilat-from-culture-to-chillout/

To Egged website – the travel company of Eilat lines: https://www.egged.co.il/Article-809-Tickets-to-Eilat.aspx  

For those who will arrive at Tel Aviv airport and wish to take a flight to Ramon airport in Eilat – Eilat campus offers a 35% discount for morning flight on Sunday, February 12, for conference participants. The price of the flight will be NIS 249 (today $80). Those who interested in the flight will be asked to update as soon as possible and add their personal details: passport number, full name in English, email address and phone number.

We need to know by 1st November who would like to take advantage of this special flight rate so that we can order.  Depending on the number of people, it may be a special fight for the conference

You should also let us know if you wish to partake of this offer for a return flight to Tel Aviv after the conference finishes (but not if you will be participating in a  post conference field trip)

 You should also check whether in February there will be direct winter vacation flights from European airports to the Ramon airport in Eilat.

Eilat is a popular winter resort and some of you may wish to spend a longer period – either before or after the conference – in the area.  See:  https://eilat.city/en 

Accomodation:

 Eilat is a resort city, popular throughout the year, and there are numerous hotels and eateries at all prices

 All Israeli hotels offer lavish breakfasts

  1. We have reached an agreement with the Astral hotel chain that participants will receive a 15 percent discount at each of their seven great hotels in Eilat. You can place an order through the reservation center by phone: 08-6388848 or 072-3929990

or through the network website: https://bit.ly/3SeKAqe 

Promo code: ABS15

  1. In addition, in cooperation with the Eilat campus, we reached an arrangement with the Soleil Hotel, where a 10% discount will be given for booking accommodation + breakfast, between February 12-16. The benefit: NIS 500 (today $162) per night in a double room + breakfast. NIS 450 (today $145) night + breakfast. Those who would like to arrive at the hotel on the Friday or Saturday before the conference (February 10-11) can add NIS 200 per night + breakfast. The reservation will be made based on available space in the hotel. The arrangement can be implemented until the end of November.

You can make the reservation directly in front of the reservation counter via the email address: res@ichotels.co.il or via the telephone canter: *9297

For the hotel website see: https://bit.ly/3qNE7XC

Please note that the benefit cannot be redeemed through an online order. Payment will be made in front of the reservation counter with your note as a participant in the research conference of the ABS organization, through a phone/email reservation and identification with code: SoleilABS.

  1. There will also be a hostel arrangement with the Abraham Hostel for those seeking budget and student accommodation. The arrangement includes 10% on accommodation in all types of rooms, for bookings between February 10-17. Breakfast depends on the number of guests.

The reservation can be made through the website: https://www.astral-hotels.com/ 

Coupon code: ABS10

We will be providing a morning and evening shuttle bus from a   central hotel location to the University campus. It is walkable but is uphill, and this option is probably prefferable for those returning (downhill) after a day of conference sessions.  For those who miss the shuttle, there is a frequent local bus service and taxis are always available.

Post Conference Field trips:

 We are in the final processes of arranging the two post conference field trips to:

  1. The Northern borders with Syria and Lebanon
  2. The Geopolitics of the West Bank and Jerusalem

The cost of these field trips is proving to be quite expensive. The cost, to include 2-3 nights accommodation, meals, buses and other requirements will be approximately 500$ and will require a minimum registration of 20-25 participants. We are trying our best to reduce this cost and will continue to work on this – but we do not want to underestimate at this stage.

 We will be sending further information about this within the next month and will need to gauge the number of participants before deciding whether to proceed Please let us know of your interest. Anyone wishing to participate in these field trips must also let us now by 1st November so that we can plan accordingly

We are also considering an alternative for the second field trip  for people who are anyway intending to spend time in Jerusalem after the conference. It may be possible to arrange a single day field trip of the relevant local geopolitics and borders for them

When booking your flights to Israel, please take into account your participation in post conference field trips – as you will not require  a flight out of Eilat. 

The conference will endeavour to be as environmentally friendly as possible and we will avoid publishing unnecessary materials, unless specifically requested to do so.  The conference programme will be sent to all participants as a PDF document and there will be students on site to assist with programming, technical and other logistical issues which arise.

  If you have further queries, please do not hesitate to contact us

All communication will be carried out through this email: geopol@bgu.ac.il

Logistical queries should be addressed to Maor (in subject line)

Other queries, concerning submissions and programming should be addressed to David (in subject line)

To summarise:

  1. Registration and payment by 1st November
  2. Participants desiring the special flight rate from Eilat to Tel Aviv (and return) should write to this address with passport details by 1st November
  3. Participants wishing to participate in post conference field trips should write to this address by 1st November
  4. Participants requiring a personal invitation letter should write to this address as soon as possible.

Best wishes

Professor David Newman – Conference Convenor

Maor Feit – Conference Administrator