The Israeli Ministry of Tourism reported that incoming tourism dropped 7% in 2014, in comparison with 2013.
According to statistical data the number of visitors to Israel (including one-day stays with no overnights) totaled 3.3 million in 2014, compared to 3.54 million in 2013. The decrease is driven by the drastic drop off in tourism from July-October, which saw a 25% decrease in comparison with July-October 2013.
2014 began well for tourism, with an 8% rise in the number of visitors to Israel in January-June, compared with the corresponding period in 2013. The increase in incoming tourism (excluding one-day visitors) was an even greater 18%. The trend was reversed with the beginning of Operation Protective Edge in July 2014; with incoming tourism plunging 30%, then stabilizing in recent months at a level of 20% below the preceding year.
About 626,000 of the visitors came from the United States (19%), 567,000 arrived from Russia, 301,000 from France, 196,000 from Germany and 179,000 from Britain.
Of the 3.3 million visitors in 2014, over 2.5 million (78%) came by air, down 2%, compared with 2013. 400,000 visitors (12%) came by land, 5% more than in 2013, 240,000 visitors (7%) were one-day visitors, down 26%, compared with 2013, and 90,000 visitors (3%) came on cruise ships, 65% fewer than in 2013. The cruise segment suffered the most from Operation Protective Edge. Some 110,000 workers are employed in Israel's tourism industry, about one-third of them in hotels Tourism's contribution to the economy this year was an estimated NIS 41 billion.
