A record 385,000 visitors entered Israel in April, according to statistics released Tuesday by the Ministry of Tourism.
Three hundred forty two visitors stayed at least one night in Israel, 14 percent more than April 2013 and 31 percent more than in April 2011.
Overall, the ministry said 1.16 million visitors entered Israel (including day visitors) between January and April, a 5 percent rise over last year. Of these, 1.05 million were tourists (meaning they stayed overnight in Israel). Nine hundred thousand people arrived by air, 45,000 came on cruise ships and 60,000 crossed Israel’s land borders.
“The first quarter of 2014 brings with it new tourism records and upward trends. we hope that the record for incoming tourism into Israel will be broken again this year, as in the previous two years. We anticipate that the visit of Pope Francis at the end of May will cause a significant spike in incoming tourism and we welcome the faithful with open arms. Those that come to Israel will discover a country not only blessed with so many holy sites, but also spectacular landscapes, rich in history, culture and night life,” said Tourism Minister Dr. Uzi Landau.