Some 225,000 Americans visited Israel in 1976, a 33 percent increase over 1975, it was announced here by Israel Zuriel, Israeli Commissioner for Tourism in North America. The final 1976 Israel world-wide figures show that 1976 was the best year ever for tourism to Israel. A total of 795,000 tourists from around the world visited the country, a 28 percent increase over the 1975 total, and, more significantly, a nine percent increase over the previous record year in 1972.
Almost 30 percent of all tourists to Israel are Americans. Zuriel said that the large increase in tourism could be ascribed to two main reasons: the relaxation of Middle East tensions and the improving economic situation in the United States and Western Europe.
The regional figures show that whereas the general percentage increase throughout the U.S. was about 30-35 percent, the traffic from the southern states shows a massive 62 percent increase. “This is a reflection of the growing number of Christian pilgrims traveling to Israel to visit the Holy places. Much of our promotional endeavors are directed toward this market; in fact, over 35 percent of Americans now visiting Israel are non-Jews.” Zuriel noted.
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