THE INCREASE IN INCOMING TOURISM CONTINUES:1.9 MILLION VISITORS (OF WHOM 1.6 MILLION ARE TOURISTS) HAVE ENTEREDISRAELIN THE PERIOD
JAN-JULY 2011 (4% MORE THAN SAME PERIOD LAST YEAR)
TOURISM MINISTER STAS MISEZHNIKOV: “THE TOURISM INDUSTRY (DOMESTIC AND INCOMING) HAS CONTRIBUTED ABOUT NIS15 MILLION TO THE ECONOMY IN THE FIRST 7 MONTHS OF THE YEAR.
2010 INCOMING TOURISM SURVEY PUBLISHED TODAY SHOWS THAT TOURISTS RATE VERY HIGHLY PERSONAL SAFETY, NIGHTLIFE, PEOPLE’S FRIENDLINESS, ACCOMODATION FACILITIES AND ARCHEOLOGICAL SITES
1.9 million visitors enteredIsraelin the period January-July 2011. Of these, 1.6 million were tourists who stayed inIsraelmore than one night, 4% more than in the corresponding months of 2010. 274,000 visitors entered in July, 2% fewer than in July 2011. According to the Central Bureau of Statistics, the number of day-tourists in January-July fell 25% to 251,000. Of these, 102,000 arrived as cruise ship passengers, 42% more than in the corresponding months of last year.
The 2010 Incoming Tourism Survey from the Tourism Ministry, published today, points to a significant increase in the satisfaction levels of tourists visitingIsrael. The survey, carried out by the Geocartography company, was conducted during 2010 among a sample of 27,000 of the 3.45 million tourists who visitedIsraelduring last year –Israel’s record tourism year.
The tourists gave the highest ratings (on a scale of 1-5) to archeological sites (4.5); personal safety (4.2); accommodation facilities (4.2); night life (4.1) and people’s friendliness to the tourist (4). Rated between 3.4 – 3.8 out of 5 were cleanliness in public spaces; security checks; airport facilities; restaurants and taxis.
Minister of Tourism Stas Misezhnikov: “The stability in the tourism industry, despite the crises in the region, is a result of the increased budgets and intensive marketing activities.” The minister noted that revenue from incoming tourism alone totaledNIS8 billion in January-July 2011, which together with domestic tourism, brings the total contribution of the tourism industry to the economy in the first seven months of the year toNIS15 billion. The tourism industry directly and indirectly employs 160,000 people.
The survey also showed that 24% of the tourists were Jews and 68% were Christians. The average stay was 11 nights, and the average spending per tourist was $1,100. 43% of all tourists arrived on a repeat visit. 77% of the tourists visitedJerusalem, 56% visited Tel Aviv, 51% visited the Dead Sea, 35% visited Tiberias, and 33% visitedNazareth.
