Wojciech Rogacin – Vatican
In 2025, approximately 1.3 million tourists visited Israel – according to a report by the Ministry of Tourism. The three main countries of origin for visitors were the United States (400k tourists), France (159k), and Great Britain (95k). Together, they account for approximately 55% of all inbound tourism to Israel. The next places on the list are: Russia (64k), Germany (38k), Ukraine (31k), Canada (28k), and Romania (27k).
Tourism rebound after difficult years
A study conducted by the ministry among thousands of tourists in the first half of 2025 shows changes in the profile of visitors. 51 percent of arrivals identified themselves as Jewish (compared to 66 percent in the 2024 study), while the percentage of pilgrims increased from 5 percent in 2024 to 9 percent in the first half of 2025.
The main reasons for arrival were: visiting relatives and friends – declared by 45 percent of respondents. Approximately 14 percent came for leisure.
The Ministry believes that 2026 will bring another increase in arrivals to Israel. In turn, the Latin Patriarchate of Jerusalem encourages Christian pilgrims to visit the holy sites associated with the life of the Lord Jesus. This would also be a support for the Christian community living especially in the West Bank. Due to the conflict over the past years, pilgrimages there have almost completely ceased, and residents – mainly Christian families relying on tourism – have lost their sources of income.
Patriarch encourages visits to places of Jesus’ life
In a recent interview with Vatican News, Cardinal Pierbattista Pizzaballa, the Latin Patriarch of Jerusalem, appealed to pilgrims to return to the entire Holy Land, as here “Christian faith becomes stronger and more concrete.”
“The Holy Land is the fifth Gospel,” said Cardinal Pizzaballa. “I also like to call it a kind of ‘eighth sacrament,’ because it allows one to experience an encounter with Jesus in a physical, tangible way,” the cardinal added.
“Therefore, I encourage everyone to come to the Holy Land and experience this wonderful encounter with Jesus Christ and His humanity, and also to be assured that pilgrimage to the Holy Land is completely safe,” the Latin Patriarch of Jerusalem assured pilgrims.
