Q1 tourism to Israel nears pre-Covid levels

Tourism to Israel credit: Taglit/Birthright
Tourism to Israel credit: Taglit/Birthright

966,200 foreign visitors entered Israel in the first three months of 2023, the Central Bureau of Statistics reports.

966,200 foreign visitors entered Israel in the first three months of 2023, the Central Bureau of Statistics reports. This compares with 309,700 visitors in the corresponding period of 2022, when Covid restrictions were still in force, and the record 1.1 million visitors in 2019, before the pandemic.

In March 2023, 375,600 foreign visitors entered Israel including 351,900 tourists who stayed at least one night. This compares with 172,300 foreign visitors in March 2022 (170,700 stayed at least one night) and 456,400 (425,800 stayed at least one night) in March 2019, before the pandemic.

Israel recorded 2.9 million entries into the country in 2022, of which 2.7 million were tourists who stayed at least one night, according to figures from the Central Bureau of Statistics. Restrictions on the entry of foreign tourists into Israel were only fully removed in May 2022 and as a result tourist numbers still have a long way to go to surpass the record 4.9 million entries into Israel in 2019 before the pandemic including a record 4.5 million tourists who stayed at least one night.

At the same time the number of Israelis traveling abroad exceeds pre-pandemic levels. In the first three months of 2023, Israelis made 1.9 million trips abroad, reports the Central Bureau of Statistics. In February 2023, Israelis made 746,300 trips abroad.

Published by Globes, Israel business news - en.globes.co.il - on April 4, 2023.

© Copyright of Globes Publisher Itonut (1983) Ltd., 2023.

Tourism to Israel credit: Taglit/Birthright
Tourism to Israel credit: Taglit/Birthright
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