1.3 million tourists visited Israel this year, even as war raged in the region, the Israeli Tourism Ministry announced on Wednesday.
The annual tourism figures, which are showing signs of recovery following the October ceasefire, have remained low since the Oct. 7, 2023, Hamas-led attack on southern Israel, which triggered a war and a suspension of most international flights to Israel amid global travel advisories.
The top three countries for incoming tourism last year were the United States with 400,000 tourists, France with nearly 160,000 and England with almost 100,000, who together make up 55% of all tourists to Israel. They are followed by Russia, Germany, Ukraine, Canada and Romania.
Fifty percent of the tourists visiting Israel over the last year were Jewish, while 9% were Christian pilgrims, according to initial annual figures.
The average tourist stayed in Israel for nine days and spent $1,622 excluding flights. About half came to visit family or friends, 14% came on vacation and 12% came on business, according to the Tourism Ministry.
A whopping 88% of tourists polled said they were very satisfied with their visit, while 83% said they would recommend travel to Israel.
“With the removal of travel advisories and the increase in flights, 2026 is expected to be a year of recovery,” said Israeli Tourism Minister Haim Katz. “The figures for incoming tourist arrivals are encouraging, and the demand for travel to Israel among supporters and in key countries led by the U.S. remains strong.”
Less than 1 million tourists visited Israel last year. Three million tourists visited Israel in 2023, while 4.5 million came during the record tourism year of 2019.
