Number of Israelis visiting US on the decline
Israel falls from 19th to 23rd place on annual list of top inbound overseas markets released by American Department of Commerce's Office of Travel and Tourism Industries.
The annual report of the Office of Travel and Tourism Industries at the American Department of Commerce, which was published last weekend, shows that Israel has fallen from the 19th place on the list of the top inbound overseas markets – to the 23rd place.
The statistical report further reveals an amazing recovery in the overall number of visitors to the US in recent years. Since 2005, there has been an increase of nearly 42% in the number of arrivals, reaching almost 70 million visitors in 2013.
The number of arrivals from Israel to the US in 2013 was only 331,359 – a 9% increase compared to 2012, but lower than the record number of 332,257 in 2005. In the following years, the number of visits from Israel dropped to an average of 305,000 entries a year.
The report also shows that only 14% of Israeli visitors arrive in the US for business purposes. The majority arrive for a vacation, a visit or a trip. The surveys conducted by the American Department of Commerce further reveal that more than 80% of the tourists arriving from Israel say shopping is the most attractive component of their vacation.
Figures presented by New York City officials show that more than 10 million tourists who visited the city in the past year saw it as the most popular destination for shopping. According to estimates, 25 cents of each dollar spent by a tourist in New York is on shopping.
In numbers, tourists have purchased products for more than $8 billion in New York City alone, adding some $750 million in sales tax to the municipal coffers and to the state of New York.
