A record number of tourists visited Israel in 2013, the Central Bureau of Statistics reported today. Tourist entries rose 0.5% to 3.53 million in 2013 from 3.52 million in 2012. Tourist entries by air rose 4% to 2.58 million in 2013 from 2.48 million in 2012, although entries by direct flights to Eilat fell to 58,500 from 59,500.
Tourist entries by land from Egypt and Jordan also fell 6% from 403,900 tourists in 2012 to 381,500 tourists in 2013. The number of day visitors fell from 634,500 in 2012 to 578,000 in 2013, but the number of cruise ship visitors rose from 251,100 to 256,800.
The US was the largest source of tourists in 2013, with 623,000 entries, followed by Russia with 603,000. France was in third place, with 316,000 tourists; followed by Germany, with 254,000; the UK, with 217,000, and Italy, with 160,000.
Published by Globes [online], Israel business news - www.globes-online.com - on January 8, 2014
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