'Wide target audience that still loves Israel': Tourism industry prepares for post-war rebound

Israel's tourism leaders recently convened with U.S. Ambassador to Israel Mike Huckabee to discuss reviving American tourism, strengthening bilateral ties, and developing a national strategy to position Israel as a leading global tourism destination.

The meeting was convened under the Israel Tourism Recovery Forum, a strategic initiative assembling government officials, private-sector representatives, airline and hotel executives, tourism professionals, and international leaders to formulate recommendations and initiatives supporting Israel's tourism recovery following years of conflict.

"I will continue to be an ambassador for Israel wherever I go," Said Huckabee. "I will continue encouraging Americans to visit Israel, experience it firsthand, and discover the reality for themselves."

Anat Shihor-Aronson, spokesperson and head of the Public Relations Department at Israel's Tourism Ministry, noted that 1.3 million tourists visited Israel in 2025, compared with 4.5 million in 2019. She identified flight availability as the primary obstacle to fuller tourist recovery. "There is a wide target audience that still loves Israel," She said.

Two months prior, the ministry launched a digital campaign in the United States titled "I Am Israel," Aimed at Jewish and evangelical communities as well as Israel-sympathetic audiences. The campaign, which continues across social media and digital platforms and was displayed in Times Square, aims to keep Israel visible to potential visitors.

"It's not only about having people purchase a flight ticket. It's about them keeping Israel in mind and coming when they feel comfortable doing so," She said.

Michael Izhakov, director general of the Tourism Ministry, emphasized the need for expanded direct flights between the United States and Israel. Eli Cohen, president of the Israel Hotel Association, proposed a national initiative modeled on Birthright Israel targeting young evangelical Americans. David Fattal, founder of the Fattal Hotel Group, identified the United States as Israel's most significant tourism market.

Yaron Lipman, CEO of Atlas Boutique Hotels, reported that Jewish and business travelers are gradually returning. "For a long period, the industry's focus was on the Israeli market, as foreigners were unable to visit. Still, we see some Americans and Western European tourists returning quite quickly," He said.

Of the 4.5 million tourists visiting Israel in 2019, just over 1 million came from the United States. Tourism generated 23 billion shekels that year, with American tourists averaging nine days in-country.

Lipman identified the prolonged nature of recent conflicts as a primary challenge, noting his hotels accommodated over 1,300 evacuees. He highlighted disparities across the tourism sector, with some regions relying on domestic visitors while others depend heavily on international tourism. "Cities such as Tel Aviv, Jerusalem, Tiberias and Nazareth depend on foreign tourists. The hotels there were built to serve that market, and without these visitors, demand drops drastically," He said.

July 2026 saw 109,000 tourist arrivals, a 28% increase from July 2025. Several major European carriers resumed flights last month following suspension, while U.S. Carriers are scheduled to resume service in September.

Shihor-Aronson expressed optimism about tourism recovery, citing Israel's distinctive offerings. "It's a very unique country in the Middle East, and we are optimistic that they will return and that there will be more tourists than during Israel's record year. It will take time and patience, but it will happen," She said.