Israel Experiences Record-Breaking Tourism

Israel’s tourism industry is experiencing record-breaking numbers, with November’s income from tourism almost matching the annual Israel tourism marketing budget.

Some 287,900 tourists have entered Israel in November, consisting of a 38 percent rise as compared with last November.

During the first 11 months of 2016, a total of 2,651,400 tourists have entered Israel, an increase of approximately 2 percent when compared with the same period last year.

November’s numbers represents the highest ever total for tourists for that month of the Year.

“The intensive marketing efforts that we have invested in new markets such as China and India, together with focused campaigns for the winter season, have led to a record-breaking number of tourists entering Israel during November,” stated Tourism Minister Yariv Levin.

In August, Israel’s Ministry of Tourism launched its first ever television advertising campaign in India, specifically targeting potential tourists to Israel.

Israel spent $1.62 million, three times its normal budget, over a two-month period promoting Israeli tourism using the slogan, “On most vacations, you take a trip. But in Israel, you take a journey.”

Israel’s Tourism Ministry has also prioritized their marketing strategy on China because Chinese tourists spend the most money during their stay in Israel, spending $1,947 per tourist, per visit compared to the average of $1,600. Also, the number of tourists from China has increase dramatically since 2000 with a 43 percent increase from 2014 to 2015 alone.

Some 6,000 tourists came from Jordan and Egypt.

Levin noted that the revenues to the Israeli economy during the past month alone reached over NIS 1.5 billion – approximately NIS 400 million more than last November, and a sum almost equal to the annual Israel tourism marketing budget.

“Our goal is to continue focusing our campaigns so as to meet the challenge of creating an ongoing increase in incoming tourism,” Levin said. “This is proof of the tourist industry’s incredible potential and the fact that the innovative ideas that we are putting into practice have led to an immediate significant contribution to the Israeli economy.”

It is of significance to point out that the increase in incoming tourism occurred during a year in which Israel experienced multiple Palestinian terrorist attacks, which normally drive away tourism traffic.

By: Aryeh Savir, World Israel News