The Tourism Ministry estimates that 2013 will close with slight increase of visitor entries from the record year of 2012. This is despite the fact that incoming tourism had to deal with issues related to the security situation and the government budget.
As a result of the marketing efforts and the development of new markets alongside maintaining existing markets, the annual contribution of tens of billions of shekels made by tourism to the economy has been maintained, the ministry said Tuesday.
According to the Central Bureau of Statistics, 306,000 visitors entered Israel in November 2013, 10 percent more than November 2012 and slightly less than the months of November 2010 and 2011. Of these visitor entries, 256,000 were tourists (staying more than one night), 15% more than November 2012 and 3% and 5% more than November 2010 and 2011, respectively, which was an all-time record for the month.
November also saw a reduction of 41% in the number of day visitors from Sinai into Israel from last year (because of the instability in Egypt), a continuation of the improvement from August-October 2013.
Some 220,000 entries were by air, 19% more than November 2012, of which 8,000 arrived on direct flights to Eilat (6% less than November 2012). Some 36,000 came through the border crossings, 7% less than November 2012; 27,000 came through the border with Jordan (1% increase), and about 9,200 came through Taba to Eilat (23% less than last November).
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