According to newly-released Ministry of Tourism data, tourism in Israel is booming, citing new records.

May 2008 broke the previous record set in 2000, with almost 300,000 visitors entering the country last month. At the present rate, Ministry of Tourism officials predict 2.8 million visitors will come to Israel in 2008.

The ministry is working to improve conditions for the growing number of visitors, including a stepped-up customer service standard in the nation’s hotels. To accommodate the growing number of visitors, an additional 3,000 hotel rooms are planned. The ministry has set a goal 3.3 million tourists in 2009 and 5 million tourists by 2012, which would generate revenues of NIS 43 billion.

(Yechiel Spira – YWN Israel)