Tourism Ministry reported that the number of tourists visiting Israel was 19% higher in January 2014 than in January 2013.
Tourism Ministry noted, however, that there was a 40% drop in the number of day visitors (classified as not staying overnight in the country). Altogether, the number of tourists and day visitors was 6% higher in January than in the corresponding month.
Tourism Minister Uzi Landau noted in a press release that “This is an excellent beginning for 2014, following the record year for incoming tourism to Israel in 2013”.
The Ministry of Tourism reports that 229,000 visitors (tourists and day visitors) entered Israel in January 2014, 6% more than January 2013, but fewer than in January 2012 and January 2011. Of these visitor entries, 200,000 were tourists (staying more than one night), 19% more than January 2013, 6% more than in January 2012 and 5% more than in January 2011 - an all-time high for the month.
However, the number of day visitors through the border crossings with Egypt and Jordan and cruise ship visitors at the Ashdod Port and Haifa Port was sharply lower in January than in the corresponding month.
The number of day visitors from cruise ships fell by 69%. Altogether, there were 29,000 day visitors in January, including 6,700 visitors on cruise ships. Some 167,000 entries were by air, a 16% increase from January 2013, of which 6,000 arrived on direct flights to Eilat (66% more than January 2013). About 33,000 came through the border crossings, 39% more than January 2013; 22,000 came through the border with Jordan (a 27% increase) and about 10,800 through Taba border crossing to Eilat (a 69% increase from last January).
The Israel Airports Authority today reported that passenger traffic at Ben Gurion Airport was 13% higher in January than in January 2013. The airport handled 883,000 passengers on international and domestic flights during the month. In January, Israeli airlines carried 307,581 passengers, 36.9% of total passenger traffic at Ben Gurion Airport, 5.6% more than in January 2013.
