Tentative but hopeful: Tourism to Israel experiencing an uptick – tour operators agree, 2026 holds promise of a comeback

For anyone who dares to get their hopes up, the tourism industry in Israel might be seeing rays of light at the end of a dark season.

After years of cancellations, disruptions and uncertainty due to the COVID pandemic beginning in 2020 and then two years of war since the Hamas massacres of Oct. 7, 2023, tourism is now showing signs of returning. 

One strong indicator is that most tour groups that visited Israel in October had to have planned their trip before the Israel-Hamas ceasefire brokered by U.S. President Donald Trump went into effect on Oct. 9. 

“What is most impressive is that they had all booked their tours before they knew there was going to be a ceasefire,” said David Katz, deputy general manager of Sar-El Tours, one of the country’s largest faith-based tour operators.

“That means that in August – before the ceasefire – they had to pay their deposits and their airline tickets,” Katz explained. “Airlines were not flexible. People had to pay their deposit and full fare, and that’s where it was difficult for tour leaders and participants – could they take that risk?”

With foreign airlines pulling out of Israel altogether and extra disruptions to the backdrop of ongoing war – including a Houthi missile that landed at Ben-Gurion International Airport in May – traveling to the Holy Land took on new and more expensive challenges.

Nevertheless, between January and June 2025, some 610,900 foreigners visited Israel, a 23.4% increase over the same period the previous year, according to Israel's Central Bureau of Statistics. 

The 12-Day War between Israel and Iran in June, however, torpedoed this positive trend for the next two months. Ben-Gurion Airport was essentially closed as foreign airlines diverted their flights or canceled them entirely. Only 55,300 tourists arrived in June, while many who were in Israel tried to find a way out.

“In June, we had several hundred people in the country and were expecting several hundred more,” Katz said. “Their tour was interrupted, and we had to take them out via Jordan. The others we had to cancel. We were so excited that, in June, things were going to be picking up again.”

For Elisa Moed, founder of Travelujah, the past two years demanded continual reinvention, including solidarity missions, volunteering and even international travel.

“We made really big pivots,” she said. “Christian tours were halted, so we did solidarity work – Jewish and Christian volunteering projects. We also offered trips to Greece, Turkey and Rome, just to be able to offer something to clients and keep things moving forward from a business standpoint.”

Moed said interest in Israel picked up again late summer, after the ceasefire between Iran and Israel.

“People were asking, ‘Is it safe? What do you think?’ We even started booking tours for 2026,” she said. “And since the release of the living hostages this month, we’ve had many more requests.”

Moed predicts that next year could mark a turning point for the industry. 

“There are signs that 2026 will be a comeback year. Not a particularly strong year, because people are still on the fence – concerned about the humanitarian issues in the Gaza Strip, wondering if the ceasefire will hold and worried about what they’re seeing in their own countries,” she said. “But assuming the security situation remains quiet, I think we’re going to see somewhat of a comeback in 2026.” 

Israel was on target to break the record for incoming tourism in 2020, prior to COVID, with a predicted 5 million visitors. Now the industry is again facing another few years of recovery to regain those levels. 

“People are not 100% sure about the safety issues here because they’re not sure what they’re reading—they’re getting mixed signals and fake news,” Moed said. “Those who have a history of coming here many times understand that it’s a very safe destination. Those are the ones who have the challenge of convincing their tour participants about coming to Israel.”

Both Sar-El and Travelujah operated several groups on the ground last month and more are scheduled for the remainder of 2025 and into next year. 

“Most tours are smaller than they would have been, but the fact that they’re coming at all is a great encouragement for us,” Katz said. “We’re seeing a moment of history unfold – and visitors want to be part of that.”

Moed said that tourists who braved the uncertainty have experienced a warm welcome and emotional encounters.

“Tourists are saying, ‘God wanted me to be here.’ Everyone is thanking them, everyone is hugging them,” she said. “They’re going back with stories – how important it was, how meaningful it was, how faith-filled it was.”

“We need to bear witness to what occurred in the south and also in the north,” she added. “There’s a sense of partnership, rebuilding, and healing. It’s truly a blessing.”

Katz noted that while Jewish tourism has been steady throughout the war, the Fall Feasts this year saw a notable increase in Christian visitors. Some 1,500 participants attended the International Christian Embassy Jerusalem Sukkot celebration, while the Jerusalem House of Prayer for All Nations’ Convocation hosted more than 500.

“Maybe they were simply tired of putting off their tour to the land of the Bible,” Katz said. “They came knowing full well they were taking a risk, but because of their desire to see the land and show their support to the people of the land, they came anyway.”