As the Jewish New Year cometh and goeth, the Ministry of Tourism released numbers last week that showed tourism to Israel is still on the rise…and in a big way!
Some 3.6 million visitors stopped by in Israel during the Jewish year 5771 (September 2010 – September 2011), which is a big rise of some 17% on the previous year. And perhaps more interestingly, at least for those in the tourism industry, some 3 million of these visitors stayed at least one night.
Which month was the biggest month through the year? With holiday season in Israel usually in full flow during this month, it probably won’t surprise you to hear…October (over 400,000 tourists!).
Cruise passengers stay with their recent impressive trend of being on the increase, with some 208,000 passengers meaning a 68% increase on the previous year.
Most visitors are coming from the United States, with some 630,000 visitors meaning a 19% increase over last year. Close behind, and perhaps more surprisingly, is Russia with 560,000 visitors, a 25% increase on the previous year. France are in third spot, with 290,000 visitors, a 25% increase over last year.
I think we can safely expect similar October numbers to last year as holiday season kicks in big time…and if you’re one of the many thousands coming to Israel in October or after, we wish you an amazing stay (and this is a great place to start your research on what to see and do in Israel)!