Since international visitor numbers collapsed after October 7, 2023, there’s a cautious sense of hope floating around. Israeli tourism experts now believe this year might turn things around—a sentiment boosted, in most cases, by dialing back its travel warning around mid-February, which appears to have nudged visitor numbers upward.
Before the Hamas attack on October 7, roughly 15,000 tourists used to come in each day, but then, almost overnight, that figure fell dramatically to just 28 a day. By early March 2025, though, the scene had shifted to about 5,000 arrivals daily, and experts are now expecting a notable jump during the summer and again amid the autumn Jewish holidays.
Hotel Development Projects
Israel’s been taking bold steps to firm up its tourism sector even while the country faces ongoing wartime challenges. The government has roughly pumped in EUR 99 million into the industry—a sector that contributes about 2.8% to the national economy and, indirectly, provides jobs for around 200,000 people, placing it among the top five industries. A separate aid package of about EUR 17 million has also been earmarked to help Israeli tourism keep essential jobs intact. For example, soon after October 7, the Ministry of Tourism rolled out a program letting hotels host refugees free of charge.
Then there’s another development: some EUR 21 million has been allocated for 27 hotel projects covering new builds, expansions, and renovations. In 2024, 483 new hotel rooms are slated to enter the market, and by the end of 2025, plans call for 18 new hotels offering 1,069 rooms. An additional 2,700 rooms are expected to emerge in the coming years. Additionally, investments have begun to flow into local attractions; 55 projects have secured EUR 61 million in funding. This funding is set to refresh several sites, including a new waterfront promenade along the Sea of Galilee, a renovated aqueduct in Jisr al-Zarka, and an archaeological park in Beit El. Several Christian sites have also been spruced up in preparation for the Holy Year 2025.
New Airport Planned
Just last week, plans for a new international airport in Beersheva got the go-ahead. The new facility, poised to be built about eight kilometers southeast of the Negev’s capital, is expected to take roughly seven years to complete. The idea is that it will create nearly 50,000 extra jobs and give the regional economy a serious boost. Designed to handle approximately 15 million passengers per year, the airport aims to alleviate some of the pressure on Tel Aviv’s Ben Gurion Airport, located 96 kilometers away.