Tourism is recovering: a jump of 28.6% in tourist entries to Israel in July

The Central Bureau of Statistics has released data on incoming tourism, indicating a gradual recovery in the sector and highlighting its clear reliance on the aviation industry, which has faced significant pressure this summer.

In July 2026, 110.9 thousand visitor entries were recorded, including 109.3 thousand tourists and 1.6 thousand same-day visitors. Compared to July 2025, when approximately 85 thousand tourists and about a thousand same-day visitors arrived, this represents a 28.6% increase.

Key figures for January–July 2026:

1. Total visitor entries: 550.6 thousand (compared to 707.9 thousand in the same period of 2025).

2. Visitor origins: 35.5% from the USA, 11.4% from France, 7.6% from the UK, and 5.1% from Russia.

3. Air travel: 537.1 thousand tourists arrived by flight.

The conclusion of Operation "Lion's Roar" has led to a slow return of incoming tourism. Data from the last three months (May–July 2026) show an average of 76 thousand entries per month, an improvement over the February–April 2026 period, which averaged 51.3 thousand entries per month.

Despite this, visitor numbers remain significantly lower than in 2025. From January to July 2026, 611.3 thousand visitors entered Israel, a 9.9% decrease compared to the same period last year and a 22.2% drop compared to 2024. These figures reflect the impact of aviation disruptions caused by Operation "Lion's Roar," which led to airspace closures and flight cancellations.

While the monthly recovery is encouraging, it is not yet equivalent to a full return of the industry, which previously contributed nearly 5 billion dollars annually to the Israeli economy.