Jerusalem, 15 October 2012

ANOTHER INCOMING TOURISM RECORD HIGH
305,000 VISITORS IN SEPTEMBER, 8% HIGHER THAN SEPTEMBER 2011.
RECORD 2.6 MILLION VISITORS SINCE BEGINNING OF 2012, 7% INCREASE ON SAME
PERIOD LAST YEAR
53% INCREASE IN CRUISE SHIP VISITORS

Tourism Minister Stas Misezhnikov: "The new records and the consistent and
continuing increase in incoming tourism are the result of the intensive and
focused marketing work of the ministry and the improvement in the tourism
product. We have succeeded in acquainting many visitors from around the
world with Israeli tourism, to experience it and even to pass that positive
experience on to others. Next week, we are launching a campaign to encourage
Israelis to serve as tourism ambassadors for Israel and, in a joint effort,
we can propel tourism to its rightful place on the national agenda, be it
for its economic value or its value in promoting a positive image for
Israel.”

Based on the Central Bureau of Statistics data released today, 305,000
visitors arrived in Israel in September 2012, an increase of 8% on last year
(283,000) and 13% more than the record year of 2010. Of these, 236,000 were
tourists (visitors who stayed at least one night in Israel), 3% more than
last year and a new record for the month of September.

Day visitors also registered an increase, with 70,000 entries, 28% more than
last year. Of these, 33,000 arrived on cruise ships, 53% more than in
September 2011.
There was an increase in day visitors arriving by air with 12,000 entries,
51% more than in September 2011.

From the beginning of the year until the end of September, a new record of
2.6 million visitor arrivals was registered, 7% more than the same period
last year and 6% more than the previous record in 2010. Of these arrivals,
2.2 million were tourists, 4 % more than the same period last year. 444,000
were one day visitors, 27% more than last year.

1.9 million tourists arrived by air January-September 2012, 3% more than in
2011, 300,000 people arrived through the land crossings, an increase of 9%.
211,000 of the day visitors arrived by land, 32% more than last year.
154,000 entries related to visitors arriving on cruise ships, an increase of
17%.
__________

Lydia Weitzman
Foreign Press Adviser to the Ministry of Tourism
052-3584395
israeltourismministry@gmail.com