1,899,400 visited Israel through May 2019; 8.3% increase in tourism compared to 2018; Record number of Christian tourism over Easter.
Less than halfway through 2019, Israel has seen a record number of tourists with nearly 2 million visiting the Jewish state since January. According to statistics released by Israel’s Ministry of Tourism, 1.8 million tourists visited Israel through May 2019. There was an 8.3% increase in tourism in the first half of 2019 compared to the first half of 2018. In May of 2019, there was an increase of 11% of tourists compared to May of 2018, totaling at 439,900.
In April, Jerusalem saw a record number of Christian tourists with an estimated 10,000 visiting the Church of the Holy Sepulcher over Easter.
The high number of tourists have immensely contributed to Israel’s economy, a total of 9.7 billion NIS from January through May. The trend of increased tourism, expected to exceed last year, is predicted to continue throughout 2019. The Jewish holidays and Israel’s peak summer season, combined with increased flights to Israel from major cities, as well as aviation agreements, have made Israel a growing, popular tourist destination.
As tourism to Israel grows, so does Israel. During Israel’s Independence Day celebrations in May, the Central Bureau of Statistics reported Israel’s population at 9,009,000. In 1948, when the State of Israel was established, the population stood at 806,000. The Bureau predicts that Israel’s population will rise above 15.2 million by 2048.
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