While the haters are rhapsodizing about the success of BDS, Israel reported an all-time high in annual visitors in 2013.
Figures were released by Israel’s Central Bureau of Statistics show a
record 3.54 million visitors arrived in Israel in 2013, half a percent
more than the previous record year. The leading countries for incoming tourism were the USA, Russia, France, Germany and the UK. Nearly
18 percent of tourists - 623,000 were from America. 603,000 tourists visited from Russia and 315,000 visited from France.
Out of 3.5 million visitors, 2.6 million arrived by air (73%). About 381,000 came through the land borders and 578,000 were day visitors. Of these 257,000 came on cruise ships.
Meanwhile, some 272,000 tourists
arrived in December, a whooping 14 percent increase over December 2012, setting a
record for most arrivals in the Jewish state in one month.
53% of incoming tourists were Christian; half of them Catholic. Only 28% were Jewish
Overall, tourism contributed about $11.4 billion to the Israeli economy in 2013, according to the Ministry of Tourism.
“The
year 2013 is a record year for tourism, and we are proud of that.
Despite Operation Pillar of Defense and the security situation in the
region, tourists voted with their feet,” said Tourism Minister Uzi
Landau.
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