Israel Sets New Record for Tourism

If the headline “Israel breaks tourism records” seems familiar to you, that’s because almost every year seems to bring all-time highs in tourism to Israel—and 2017 was no exception.

According to the Ministry of Tourism, a total of 3.6 million travelers arrived in Israel during 2017, representing a 25% increase over the previous year. As described by Yariv Levin, Minister of Tourism, this was due to a variety of factors, including several newly introduced direct flights to Ben-Gurion International Airport from Miami and other travel hubs.

As usual, the United States is Israel’s leading source of tourists. More than 716,000 Americans visited last year—a 21% increase from 2016. The second-most travelers came from Russia, followed by France, Germany and the UK. Nearly eight out of 10 tourists visit Jerusalem while in Israel, and more than half said they were arriving in Israel for the first time.

These skyrocketing tourism numbers reflect not just a renewed interest in Israel as a travel destination, but also recognition of the widespread hospitality found in this special nation. In our experience, the kind-hearted people of Israel are a reason to visit Israel in and of themselves.

A Land Like No Other

Beyond that legendary culture, however, is something of even greater value—spiritual transformation. We believe travel to Israel, the land of the Bible, is one of the most life-changing experiences a Believer can have.

From praying in the Garden of Gethsemane to studying the Sermon on the Mount where Jesus preached it—the Mount of Beatitudes, overlooking the beautiful Sea of Galilee—travel to Israel immerses you in Scripture with a depth far beyond typical Bible studies. It deepens your faith and reconnects you to God like never before.

We’re excited to hear that more and more travelers from all over the world are discovering the wonders of Israel and the places of Scripture. Have you? Please share below how your time in Israel impacted you.

The coming year is poised to set even more tourism records, and because of this surge, our Israel tours are booking faster than ever! We urge you to make your reservation as soon as possible so that you can be among these visitors to the land of the Bible.