Israel looking for 65% growth in Indian tourist arrivals
With the new flight service by Air India between New Delhi and Tel Aviv, Israel now targets a growth of over 65 per cent in Indian tourist arrivals.
As many as 60,000 Indian tourists visited Israel in 2017, compared to 45,000 in 2016 and 39,000 in 2015. The figures show a steady increase in the total number of Indian tourists’ arrival, said Hassan Madah, director of Israel ministry of tourism in India.
“We have seen the growth year by year. When a new aircraft comes to a country, there is an increase in the capacity (to carry people at better convenience) and we are targeting almost a lakh in 2018,” he said adding that the tourist arrival would be over 80,000.
Madah is also of the opinion that there’s scope for more airlines as he feels that “just a single flight from Delhi, three times a week, is not enough”. Israeli tourism ministry is also working on connectivity from Kochi and Goa in tourist season later this year.
Over three million people visited Israel last year. “Now the tourism in Israel is booming and we are having tourists from many countries not only from India. We have a record number of tourists’ arrival from China, the Philippines and other places,” he said.