Not sure it's like crossing the channel I think it was less straight-forward vacations, a bit more based on gambling and escaping sabbath restrictions: and of course much cheaper accommodation! Israeli-registered cars were allowed, as long as they parked up at one or two of the hotels, like the Hilton, close to the border.

The Eilat/Taba border is an important one: the only one that processes tourists between Israel and Egypt overland. And remember a significant amount of tourism infrastructure on Sinai's Red Sea coast was built/improved by Israel during the occupation, and handed back to Egypt. Indeed, Taba airport was one of those infrastructures.