International tourism expo kicks off in Israel amid Iran tension

1.3 million tourists visited Israel last year, compared to three million in 2023 before the Oct. 7, 2023, Hamas-led attack on southern Israel.

By Etgar Lefkovits, JNS

Israel’s major tourism fair of the year got underway on Tuesday in Tel Aviv amid initial signs of a tourism rebound following the two-year war against Hamas in Gaza still blunted by ongoing regional tensions with Iran.

“The last couple of years were difficult ones, with a dramatic drop in tourists during the war, but there are signs of optimism as the buds of recovery are beginning to be seen,” Israeli Tourism Minister Haim Katz said at International Mediterranean Tourism Market (IMTM) 2026, held at the Tel Aviv fairgrounds.

Israel, he said, was planning to launch a new tourism campaign in the United States, the top country for incoming visitors, dubbed “I am Israel,” directed at both the Jewish and evangelical Christian community.

Most international airlines have resumed flights to Tel Aviv, although some European carriers have recently reduced flights amid concerns over an impending U.S. military strike on Iran.

Israel’s 32nd annual flagship tourism exhibition was attended by ambassadors from around the world, including U.S. Ambassador to Israel Mike Huckabee, a staunch supporter of the Jewish state, and Cypriot Deputy Tourism Minister Kostas Koumis.

Some 50 social media tourism influencers and journalists from more than 20 countries around the globe also participated.

Some countries had operated their own colorful booths at the exhibition, including Greece and Cyprus, both top destinations for Israeli vacationers last year, alongside traditional allies such as Azerbaijan and Georgia and exotic Far East destinations such as Vietnam, which is now serviced with the first-ever direct flight from Tel Aviv, as well as Taiwan.

“With a colorful multicultural society and no antisemitism, Azerbaijan is the perfect place for Israelis to visit,” Florian Sengstschmid, CEO of the Azerbaijani Tourism Board, told JNS at the country’s booth at the fairground, which included fliers about special all-kosher tours for observant Jews.

Israelis were among the top 10 foreign visitors to Azerbaijan last year.

Post-war tourism: ‘A challenge for a restart’

1.3 million tourists visited Israel last year, compared to three million in 2023 before the Oct. 7, 2023, Hamas-led attack on southern Israel. In 2019, a record 4.5 million people visited the Jewish state.

“Our goal is not just to go back to what once was but to break new records,” said Katz on Tuesday. He set a goal of 7 million tourists by 2030.

“Experience teaches us that adversity is often an opportunity for a significant restart,” said Eyal Shmueli, CEO of Travel News, which is co-hosting the exhibition.

“Tourism is a bridge engine for growth as we stand on the threshold of a historic era.”