Israel authorities estimate 100,000 Romanian tourists this year

More than 70,000 Romanian tourists have visited Israel in the first nine months of the year, up 38 percent from the same period last year, according to data from the Ministry of Tourism in Israel. By the end of the year, the ministry predicts about 100,000 Romanian tourists in Israel and 4 million tourists from around the world.

Although the Christian community remains the majority in the religious distribution of tourists arriving in Israel, the attention of the Israeli Tourism Ministry has focused in recent years on tourists who do not come to pilgrimage or exclusively to holy places.

According to data from 2017, 56 percent of tourists arriving in Israel are Christians, 22 percent Jews, 16 percent do not have religious affiliation and other minorities.

Sacred places remain the bonus of any holiday in Israel, but the destination also offers a lot of other experiences: shopping, dining at luxury restaurants, boutique hotels or brand hotels, etc. In fact, Israel’s Tourism Ministry statistics highlight the fact that 26 percent of tourists traveling to Israel are here for travel and exploration, while only 19 percent go there for pilgrimage.

The portrait of the tourist who travels to Israel

According to the data analyzed, Israel is an excellent destination for couple or exploring in two or even singles. Tourists under the age of 45 hold the majority among those who choose to travel to Israel. Their favorite destinations are Tel Aviv, Jerusalem and the Dead Sea. Most tourists choose to travel to Israel in spring or autumn, the most intense months in terms of tourism being in May, October and November.

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On average, a tourist spends in Israel around USD 150 a day. Those who choose to travel in groups spend more than USD 230 a day, and those who travel individually spend the least, about USD 124 a day. The average total cost of a holiday in Israel, including accommodation, transportation, shopping, food and beverage, is USD 1,421. Of these, the cost of accommodation is USD 630, the cost of shipping USD 242, shopping USD 171, food and drink USD 213.

Romania, second place in the region after Poland

Worldwide, the first 5 nationalities of tourists traveling to Israel are from the US, France, Russia, Germany and the UK. Among the Central and Southeast European countries, Poland sends most tourists to Israel (over 100,000 in 2018 in the first 9 months of the year), and Romania ranks second with over 70,000 tourists.

Year-on-year increases are over 30 percent.

In total, over 40 flights take off each day from Henri Coanda International Airport at Ben Gurion Airport in Tel Aviv. Prices start at EUR 38/ticket and passengers can fly low cost airlines such as Wizz Air, Smart Air such as Blue Air or choose a line company such as El Al or Tarom.

Israel is an important travel destination for Romanian tourists, appreciated for the pilgrimages organized here. Starting in 2017, the Israeli Ministry of Tourism has focused its efforts on promoting Tel Aviv and Jerusalem as two city break destinations in one vacation, offering multicultural experiences, intense nightlife, gourmet delights and tourism opportunities venture.

More than 60 weekly flights now connect Tel Aviv and Eilat to the main airports in Romania – Bucharest, Timisoara, Cluj, Iasi and Sibiu (July 2018). Year 2018 compared to 2016 registered a 152 percent increase in Romanian tourists, and the outlook remains extremely positive.