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Israelis Flock Abroad in September While Tourist Arrivals Lag
A record 1.23 million Israelis traveled abroad in September 2026, marking the highest number of departures ever recorded for that month. The surge in outbound travel was driven by the timing of the High Holidays, rising from 1.05 million departures in September of the previous year.
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What happened
- 01A record 1.23 million Israelis traveled abroad in September 2026, the highest number ever recorded for that month.
- 02The surge in outbound travel was driven by the timing of the High Holidays, up from 1.05 million departures in September of the previous year.
- 03Approximately 89 percent of the departures, totaling about 1.1 million, were by air, with the rest via land and sea.
- 04Inbound tourism reached 137,200 visitors in September 2026, an increase from 115,300 in September of the prior year.
- 05Cumulative tourist arrivals for January-September reached 805,400, trailing behind the 942,800 arrivals recorded during the same period last year.
- 06Air tourist arrivals averaged 111,200 monthly in July-September, more than doubling the 48,200 average from the April-June quarter.
- 07The United States leads inbound tourism to Israel, followed by France, the United Kingdom, and Russia.
Approximately 89 percent of these departures, or about 1.1 million, occurred via air travel, with the remainder utilizing land and sea crossings. Outbound travel has shown steady growth, with the July-September period averaging 855,400 monthly air departures, up from 540,100 in the April-June quarter.
Meanwhile, inbound tourism to Israel also saw an increase in September 2026, with 137,200 visitors entering the country, including 135,500 tourists and 1,700 day visitors. While this is an increase from the 115,300 arrivals recorded in September of the prior year, the cumulative total of 805,400 arrivals for January-September still trails behind the 942,800 recorded during the same period last year.
Despite the overall deficit, air tourism is showing signs of recovery, with monthly air tourist arrivals averaging 111,200 in the July-September period, more than doubling the 48,200 average from April-June. The United States remains the leading source of inbound tourism, followed by France, the United Kingdom, and Russia, while visits by Israelis living abroad also increased.
Summarized by baba from the reports of 3 newsrooms. Updated
Latest report: Now 14. Read Now 14’s originalThe coverage
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