Tourism in Israel 2025: Year-End Results, Record Arrivals from the U.S., and the Return of Pilgrims
According to official data from the Israeli Ministry of Tourism (IMOT), approximately 1.3 million international tourists visited Israel in 2025 — a notable recovery after the difficult years of the pandemic and regional conflicts. The largest group of visitors came from the United States: around 400,000 people, representing a significant share of the total tourist flow. Together with Canada (28,000 tourists), North America accounted for 428,000 visitors.
France ranked second with 159,000 tourists, and the United Kingdom third with 95,000. These three countries together accounted for about 55% of all arrivals. Following them were Russia (64,000), Germany (38,000), Ukraine (31,000), Canada (28,000), and Romania (27,000).
Particularly noticeable was the growing interest in Christian pilgrimage tourism. During the Christmas season of 2025 (December), the Ministry of Tourism expected around 130,000 tourists overall, of whom approximately 40,000 were Christian pilgrims visiting Jerusalem, Bethlehem, and Nazareth. This marked the first significant return of Christmas celebrations after two years of restrictions due to the war in Gaza — full events were held in Bethlehem, a Christmas tree was lit at Manger Square, and hotels were 70% occupied on peak days.
Key factors behind this success:
- The resumption of U.S. airline flights (Delta, United, American Airlines starting fall 2025)
- Improved safety ratings in travel advisories of several countries
- High visitor satisfaction: 88% of respondents were very satisfied with their trip, and 83% would recommend Israel to friends
Tourism Minister Haim Katz called 2025 “a successful beginning of recovery,” with 2026 expected to be a year of further growth, especially driven by the American market and pilgrims.
