In the period January-April 2018 the number of tourists in Israel was 1.36 million, 25% more than the same period last year. The Ministry of Tourism expects to increase their numbers this year thanks to large-scale marketing efforts, but the current security threat is now casting a shadow over this optimism, because the tourism sector will be the first to suffer the effects negative with tourists who could reschedule their holidays, and there are concerns that the record of 3.6 million visitors last year will not be exceeded. This was announced by the Globes business newspaper.
Only in April 2018 (when the Jewish, Catholic and Orthodox holidays fall) there were 408,000 arrivals, 17% more than in April 2017, when 350,000 people visited Israel. The Ministry of Tourism states that the revenues related to the tourism sector in April exceeded 2.1 billion shekels. The optimism of the Ministry of tourism is also linked to the momentum created by the visibility achieved thanks to the Giro d’Italia, which started this year from Jerusalem. 238,000 of the 408,000 tourists in April, more than half, came from Europe, in particular from France, Germany and the United Kingdom. As part of the preparations for the cycling race of the Giro d’Italia, the number of visitors from Italy in April was 15,000, 48% more than in April of last year. The number of tourists from the United Kingdom fell by 13% to 19,300. 105,000 tourists came from North America, including over 80,000 from the United States, 16% more than last year. 14,000 tourists came from Central and South America, 41% more than in April 2017. The number of visitors from Asian countries reached only 35,700 units, still a very low number, but 32% more than last year.
(ITALPRESS/MNA).
