Number of Cruise Ships Arriving in Israel has Increased Significantly

68,000 Cruise Visitors Arrived in Israel from January through April 2011

(Photo: Ashdod Port on the Mediterranean. Courtesy: Israel Ministry of Tourism)

New York, NY – May 27, 2011: In June 2011, 37 passenger and cruise ships are expected to anchor in Ashdod and Haifa, with an estimated 50,000 tourists and crew. The number of cruise ships arriving in Israel has significantly increased in recent years and this trend is expected to continue.

“We are excited to welcome so many cruise visitors to Israel,” said Haim Gutin, Israel Tourism Commissioner, North and South America. “We know that once they visit Israel – they will never be the same.”

The ships dock in Ashdod, Haifa, and Eilat for an average of three days. The passengers and crew members spend, on average, $150 a day. In 2010, 169,200 cruise visitors arrived in Israel – 2.5 times more than in 2009. 68,000 cruise visitors have arrived in Israel from January through April 2011, which is 37% more than the same period last year.

For more information about travel to Israel, please visit http://www.evangelicalisraelexperience.com./

About the Israel Ministry of Tourism:

With its main headquarters for North America in New York, the Israel Ministry of Tourism leads the State of Israel’s efforts at maintaining a strong tourism industry. The Ministry of Tourism promotes tourism to Israel via its Israel Government Tourist Offices in Europe, Asia, and the Americas.

(Source: Israel Ministry of Tourism)