752,000 tourists in first quarter of 2012, an all-time high

During 2011, 3/4 million tourist in Israel generated revenues of US$47 billion
 
The Central Bureau of Statistics reported that there were 752,000 tourist entries during the first quarter of 2012, which continues a strong upward trend of the past few years and an all-time high. 
 
There were 2% more tourist entries during the first quarter of 2012, than in the corresponding quarter of 2011, and 1% more than in the corresponding quarter of 2010, the previous all-time high. 
 
Day tourists were up over 78%, to 41,000 visitors in March, from 23,000 in March 2011.
 
Israel’s minister of tourism Stas Misezhnikov noted in a press release that “The Tourism Ministry's efforts to improve the tourism product and its diverse marketing activities worldwide continue to bear fruit, as the numbers speak for themselves,”
 
Tourism is an extremely large contributor to Israel's economy. Israel’s 3.4 million tourists in 2011 generated total revenues estimated at US$47 billion during that year.