SUMMARY OF TOURISM YEAR 2015
Tourism Ministry 4 January 2016
[For complete report
http://1drv.ms/1JoFm6s

Despite the geopolitical situation and recovery after Operation Protective
Edge, visitor entries into Israel drops only 3% on 2014

Increase in incoming tourism from USA, France and UK

32% increase in day visitors and 16% increase in cruise ships

Income from incoming tourism in first half 2015: $9.9 billion

5.9 million bed nights (59%) from domestic tourism (8% increase)

Tourism Characteristics (first half 2015)

Largest source countries for incoming tourism: USA, Russia, France, Germany
and UK

Most visited places: Jerusalem, Tel Aviv-Jaffa, Dead Sea, Galilee

52% incoming tourists are Christian; 22% Jewish

50% first time visitors; 56% stayed in hotels; 24% on organized tour

Tourism Ministry Director-General Amir Halevi: "Looking back at 2015, we see
that the entire world is facing a new geo-political reality. Terrorism has
reached places once considered safe tourism destinations. Together we must
develop strategies to deal with this new reality and the main tool is to
continue our daily routine, including tourism. Despite the geopolitical
turmoil, incoming tourism to Israel has displayed resilience in 2015, with
only a 3% drop in visitor entries on last year. We enter 2016 with an
unprecedented budget for overseas marketing and with increased flight
capacity thanks to the open skies policy and Tourism Ministry incentives for
Eilat winter flights. We plan to increase the accommodation supply and lower
vacation costs with a recently-published tender for a chain of budget hotels
and a reform to fast-track hotel construction. I invite tourists and
pilgrims around the world to include Israel, the land of creation, in their
vacation plans for 2016."

For complete report
http://1drv.ms/1JoFm6s