According to the Central Bureau of Statistics, 395,900 tourist entries were recorded in May 2018, about 14% more than May 2017 – and this, despite forecasts that the security situation in the South could adversely affect the upward trend in incoming tourism. In the period January- May 2018, about 1.75 million tourist entries were recorded, 22% increase on the same period last year. Revenue from tourism in April reached about $590 million.

May 2018

There was a 14% increase in tourist entries in May 2018 as compared to 2017 and 33% increase on May 2016.

• 344,300 tourist entries were by air, an increase of 9% on May 2017 and 28% on May 2016.

• 51,600 tourists arrived via the land crossings, 4% more than in May 2017 and 51% more than in 2016.

• 24,900 arrived as day visitors in May, 6% increase on May 2017 and 165% more than in 2016.

January- May 2018

In January- May 2018, about 1.75 million tourist entries were recorded, an increase of 22% on the same period in 2017 (1.4 million) and 53% more than in 2016. Since the beginning of the year, tourism has injected more than $2.6 billion into the Israeli economy.

Tourism Minister Yariv Levin added, “We continue with the trend of record-breaking tourism figures. Once again, in May, we see increases in the number of tourists visiting Israel, maintaining a consecutive 19-month period of increasing tourist figures. The opening of new routes, such as the route from India, and ongoing marketing activities such as those surrounding the Giro d’Italia race, are bearing fruit.”

(YWN Israel Desk – Jerusalem)