The number of tourists from Russia who traveled to Israel in the first three months of 2023 increased by 241% compared to the same period in 2022.
Russia has become one of the top three source markets regarding inbound tourist flow to Israel. From January to March, the country was visited by 53.5 thousand Russian tourists. This is 241% more than in the same period in 2022 but 23% less than in the same period in 2019.
In total, in the first three months of the year, Israel received over 916,000 tourists. This is 199% more than in the same period in 2022 but 13% less than in the same period of the pre-pandemic record year 2019.
The list of leading source markets also includes the United States - 246 thousand tourists, and France - 59.2 thousand tourists.
Israeli Tourism Minister Chaim Katz said, “The positive trend in inbound tourism, along with an increase in domestic travel, is leading to a flourishing tourism industry and a stronger economy.”
The Ministry of Tourism invites the population to enjoy free admission to dozens of tourist sites and attractions throughout the country as part of creating a public tourism infrastructure to benefit domestic and foreign tourists. The guests are invited to participate in free tours led by tour guides and funded by the Ministry of Tourism with a budget of NIS 25 million (about US$ 7 million). Tours are conducted in Hebrew, Russian, and Arabic.