Amid ongoing conflict in the Middle East, Israel is hoping that the number of Indian tourists will reach 10,000 in 2024 and is planning to launch an e-visa programme for the Indian market early next year to encourage travel to the West Asian country, an official said on Thursday.
According to the Israel Ministry of Tourism (IMOT) India Director of Marketing, Amruta Bangera, around 8,500 Indian tourists visited the West Asian country till October this year.
“In 2018, the country hosted 70,800 Indian visitors, marking a record, Although the COVID-19 pandemic disrupted global travel, Indian arrivals began recovering in 2022, reaching 30,900 despite minimal promotional campaigns. The momentum continued in 2023 with 41,800 Indian visitors. In 2024, 8,500 Indians travelled to Israel during the January-October period,” she told PTI.
“We hope that by the end of this year, the number of Indian tourists travelling to Israel will reach around 10,000,” she said.
Speaking about the impact of the ongoing Israel-Hamas conflict, which has kept West Asia on edge, Bangera claimed, “Israel is safe for tourists, and the conflict is confined to the bordering areas, where tourists are not allowed to venture.”