In the first seven months of the year 821,800 tourists entered Israel – an increase of 58% compared to the year-earlier period…
In the first seven months of the year 821,800 tourists entered Israel – an increase of 58% compared to the year-earlier period. This figure is 74% higher than for the same period in 2002 and tops by 3% the number of tourists during January-July 2001. 728,100 tourists arrived by air (an increase of 53%), 91,300 arrived by land (more than double the same-period figure last year), and another 2,400 came by sea.
Of the 728,100 arrivals by air, 26,600 were on direct flights to Eilat, more than double the figure for the same months last year.So it was reported by the Central Bureau of Statistics and the Tourism Ministry.
It was further reported that in July of this year 147,800 tourists entered Israel – 30% more than in July 2003, almost double the figure for July 2002, and 26% more than in July 2001. Of these, 130,800 came by air (88% of all arrivals), 25% more than in July 2003, 16,600 came by land (almost double July 2003), and another 400 arrived by sea.
Of the entries by land (some of which were reentries by tourists who crossed over to the neighboring countries and returned to Israel), 9,600 were registered at the border crossings with Jordan, and another 6,800 were registered at the Eilat border station.
Tourism Minister Gideon Ezra expressed satisfaction at the figures and noted that an estimated 1.4 million tourists are forecast to visit Israel this year.
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