Between January and May 2014, 1.5 million visitors arrived in Israel which is 7% more than the same period in 2013, 8% more than 2012 and 14% more than 2011.
According to Israeli Tourism Minister, Uzi Landau ‘’the first five months of 2014 brings new tourism records and upward trends. We hope that the record for incoming tourism into Israel will again be broken this year. The recent visit of Pope Francis caused a significant spike in incoming tourism, alongside the marketing work of the ministry in increasing Christian tourism, as well as cultural tourism.’’
‘’Those that come to Israel will discover a country not only blessed with so many holy sites, but also spectacular landscapes, rich in history, culture and night life,’’ Landau added.
Of the 1.5 million visitors, 1.4 million were tourists, 17% more than 2013 and 16% and 19% more than 2012 and 2011 respectively. 1.2 million entries were by air, 42% less than the same period in 2013 and 2012. 149,000 day visitors entered Israel, 48% less than the same period in 2013. Of these, 45,000 arrived on cruise ships (51% decrease); 66,000 came through the border crossings (46% decrease) and about 29,000 entries were by air (3% increase).
Figures from the Central Bureau of Statistics show also a record-breaking 382,000 visitor entries in May, 13% more than in the same month in 2013. Of these visitor entries, a record-breaking 346,000 were tourists (staying more than one night), 22% more than May 2013, and 28% and 29% more than May 2012 and 2011 respectively.
292,000 entries were by air, 21% more than May 2013, of which 2,100 arrived on direct flights to Eilat (42% less than May 2013) . 54,000 tourists came through the border crossings,27% more than May 2013; 40,000 came through the border with Jordan (35% increase) and about 13,000 through Taba to Eilat (7% more than last May).
Due to a decrease in tourism to the Red Sea resort of Eilat, an inter-ministerial committee has been established to encourage tourism and flights into the resort.
"Eilat is a significant tourism resort and we must be primed to match the resort's development to the changes in the local and international tourism market,’’ said Tourism Ministry Director-General Amir Halevy.
The committee will examine ways to expand the number of international flights into the resort, to diversify the tourism product, to provide solutions for the overcrowding in summer and to balance out across the year the number of tourists and visitors to the resort.
One of the latest factors to adversely impact on tourism to Eilat is the open skies policy that facilitates overseas vacations for many more Israelis as a result of lower airfares.