If Google search patterns are any indication, the Israeli traveler of 2026 looks somewhat different from the one who emerged after October 7.
After nearly two years in which antisemitism, travel warnings and uncertainty over flights became prominent considerations in vacation planning, searches related to antisemitism have fallen 30% over the past year, while searches for travel warnings have dropped 60%, according to data released by Google on Thursday.
At the same time, searches for flights have surged 30%, reaching their highest level since October 2023. The map of favored destinations is also shifting, with one country emerging as a standout: Vietnam.
Google's figures point to a continued recovery in Israelis' appetite for vacations abroad. Flight searches rose 30% over the past 12 months compared with the previous year and have returned to levels last seen before the Hamas-led October 7 attack and the war that followed.
According to Google, searches reached a new postwar peak during Operation “Lion's Roar” and in the months that followed.
The figures come with an important caveat: Google search data measure interest and search intent, not actual bookings or the number of Israelis who ultimately traveled to any given destination. They nevertheless offer a window into changing preferences and the questions Israelis are asking as they plan trips overseas.
Vietnam surges, Paris returns
Vietnam was the year's clearest breakout destination. Searches for “flights to Vietnam” jumped 160% over the past 12 months.
Google said the interest spans different groups, from young Israelis traveling after military service to families. Popular searches include visas, direct flights, travel itineraries including the country's well-known Ha Giang Loop, and nightlife in Hanoi.
Vietnam is the top search for travel destinations
(Photo: Shutterstock)
Greece also continues to gain ground among Israeli travelers. Searches for flights and vacations in Corfu, Kefalonia, Lesbos and Crete rose by tens of percentage points, alongside questions such as “best Greek island for a vacation” and “most beautiful beaches in Greece.”
Baku, Azerbaijan, and Krakow, Poland, were among other destinations showing increased interest.
One of the more notable changes is the return of Paris. The French capital dropped out of Israelis' 10 most-searched destinations in 2025 after also losing ground during the first years of the war. In 2026, it is back in the top 10.
New York and Bangkok remain among the leading long-haul destinations searched for travel during the major Jewish holiday periods, including Rosh Hashanah, Hanukkah and Passover, along with Tokyo. Among shorter-haul destinations, Prague, Budapest, Larnaca and Athens remain prominent.
Israelis are returning to Paris
(Photo: Shutterstock)
Google is also seeing changes in the types of vacations Israelis want. Searches connected to wellness tourism rose 210% over the past year, while road trips, safaris and first-class flights also recorded increases of tens of percentage points.
Fewer searches about antisemitism, but threat remains
Perhaps the most striking shift involves an issue that has weighed heavily on Israeli tourists since the start of the war.
For the first time since October 2023, Google recorded a decline in searches related to antisemitism, down 30% from the previous year. Searches for travel warnings fell even more sharply, by 60%.
Interest in both topics peaked in November 2024 amid demonstrations and tensions involving Israel and the Gaza war around the world.
The contrast with the previous year is particularly sharp. Google's 2025 data showed an increase of more than 5,000% in searches for the question, “What is the least antisemitic country in Europe?” Israelis were also searching for advice on how to prepare children for antisemitism abroad.
At the time, Paris had disappeared from the top 10 destinations and London had yet to regain its prewar standing. This year, searches about antisemitism and travel warnings are declining, while Paris has returned to the list of popular destinations.
That does not necessarily mean Israelis are no longer concerned about antisemitism, and it certainly does not establish that antisemitic incidents themselves have declined.
Travelers are still conducting destination-specific searches such as whether Spain, Italy, Greece or Paris is dangerous for Israelis. There is also growing interest in countries perceived by some travelers as quieter or safer, including Albania, Slovenia and other Balkan destinations.
Albania is a new Israeli destinatiom
(Photo: saxanad/Shutterstock)
The search trends also come against a more troubling picture presented recently by Israel's Foreign Ministry.
Between July 2025 and July 2026, 45 Israelis affected by antisemitic incidents abroad required assistance from the ministry's department for Israelis in distress. The Foreign Ministry described the scale as “a phenomenon we have not encountered before.”
The reported incidents included physical assaults, spitting and verbal abuse, denial of service and Israelis being removed from hotels, cafés and restaurants.
In other words, the decline in Google searches does not necessarily point to a decline in antisemitism itself. It may instead suggest that the issue is occupying less space in Israelis' pre-vacation search behavior than it did a year ago.
Another rapidly growing trend is the use of artificial intelligence to plan vacations. Google said searches involving AI in connection with flights, vacations and tourism rose 120% over the past year.
Israeli travelers are using AI tools to build personalized itineraries, compare prices and research their rights when flights are delayed or canceled.