Eyal Lichter
Research Expert Israel
Travel and tourism in Israel - statistics & facts
In 2021, the number of foreign tourists visiting Israel amounted to 396.5 thousand, a significant decrease compared to the previous year. In 2020 and 2021, the volume of international tourism in Israel has declined remarkably. This was due to tighter restrictions imposed on the country's tourism industry following the coronavirus (COVID-19) outbreak in March 2020. However, the Israeli authorities lifted most of the restrictions in 2022. According to estimates, the number of international tourist arrivals will gradually increase in the coming years to 5.68 million in 2025.
Impact of the coronavirus (COVID-19)
As in several countries worldwide, COVID-19 restrictions have significantly affected the tourism industry in Israel, including the hotel industry. In 2021, the number of foreign guests in tourist hotels in Israel declined sharply to 277.4 thousand, after it peaked in 2019 before the pandemic. However, both the number of Israeli guests in tourist hotels and the total revenue of the hotel sector increased in 2020. Many Israelis stayed in hotels in the country because the government did not impose severe restrictions on domestic tourism.Economic contribution of the tourism industry
In recent years, the economic importance of tourism in Israel has been increasing. Projections showed that the total financial contribution of tourism will likely rise to nearly 30 million U.S. dollars in 2025, a new peak. In 2013, Israel signed an open skies agreement with the EU. This helped promote inbound and outbound tourism since new European airlines started operating in Israeli airports. Despite the noteworthy increment in tourism from Europe, in 2021, the number of tourists from the United States was the highest of all countries, with 149.1 thousand American visitors in Israel that year.Diverse tourist sights
Tel Aviv, Jerusalem, and Haifa are famous tourist destinations in Israel. However, natural and historical sites in the country also attract high numbers of tourists. In 2021, the Israeli Nature and Parks Authority recorded over 2.54 million visits to historical sites in Israel. Some well-known historical sites are Masada and Caesarea. In addition, the number of visits to recreation sites in Israel rose as well and reached more than 6.64 million in the same year.
