Israeli tourists flock to one EU country and spend millions there

Spending by Israeli tourists in Romania via bank cards surged 211% year-over-year, averaging 160 shekels per transaction. Total foreign spending in Romania rose 63%, reaching nearly a quarter of a billion lei. The increase is attributed to a shift in tourism flows due to tensions with Iran.

Spending by Israeli tourists in Romania via credit cards surged 211% year-over-year, according to data from payment company Global Payments for July and August 2026. On average, Israelis spend 160 shekels per transaction. Total foreign card spending in Romania rose 63%, reaching nearly a quarter of a billion lei. The increase is linked to a shift in tourism flows due to tensions with Iran. By average transaction size, Israelis trail tourists from Ireland (331 lei) and the US (252 lei). Bucharest leads in spending volume, with over 160 million lei. Over the past five years, foreign card spending in Romania has tripled.