2013: Record Year for Israel Tourism – Ziv Reinstein (Ynet News)

(Daily alert)

    Tourism Ministry figures point to a new record in tourist entries to Israel in 2013 with more than 3.5 million visitors, a 0.5% increase from 2012.

    Tourists came from the U.S. – 623,000, Russia – 603,000, France – 315,000, Germany – 254,000, UK – 217,000, Italy – 173,000, Ukraine – 134,000, Poland – 89,000, Canada – 71,000, Holland – 57,000, and Spain – 53,000.

    75% toured Jerusalem. 53% were Christian, about half of them Catholics. 22% defined the goal of their visit as a pilgrimage.

    28% were Jewish. 54% visited Israel for the first time, while 46% had been here before.