Chapter 15: Development of Tourism in Israel: Experience for Ukraine

This article examines the development of Israel’s tourism sector amidst ongoing military conflicts and economic challenges exacerbated by the COVID-19 pandemic. Despite these difficulties, global and European tourist flows showed rapid recovery after travel bans were lifted, with Israel aiming to restore its tourism industry in 2021–2022. The study uses analysis, synthesis, generalisation and statistical forecasting methods to evaluate this process. According to Israel’s Central Bureau of Statistics, escalations in military conflict significantly impact tourism, resulting in the loss of one in four tourists and over half a billion dollars. In 2019, Israel welcomed 4.55 million foreign visitors, but by 2021, that number dropped to just 396,000. Consequently, the government prioritised domestic tourism, which became a stabilising force. Analysis of 2019 data revealed that most tourists came from the and Europe, with Ukraine among the top 10. Visitors typically travelled for sightseeing, pilgrimage, rest and visiting relatives. The government supported the hotel and air transport sectors and launched modernisation initiatives, such as creating ‘green islands of tourism’. Efforts also focused on diversifying tourism through eco-tours in mountainous and desert areas, wellness tourism at the Dead Sea and water sports in the Red and Mediterranean Seas.