Tourists have disappeared in Israel, but there is an interesting paradox – statistics

Despite an almost 80% drop in inbound tourism, the volume of spending via foreign bank cards has nearly returned to pre-war levels. Hotel and restaurant spending plummeted by tens of percent, but the total volume of card transactions fell by only 7.8%. The paradox is explained by the growth of online purchases, spending by new immigrants and diplomats, as well as inflation.

A paradox is observed in the Israeli economy: official inbound tourism has dropped by almost 80%, but the volume of spending via foreign bank cards has nearly returned to pre-war levels. According to data from the company SHVA, in the first half of 2026, foreigners paid for goods and services with cards totaling 9.7 billion shekels — only 7.8% less than in the same period of 2023 (10.5 billion). At the same time, the Ministry of Tourism reports that about 430,000 guests entered the country over six months — 78% below the pre-war level of 2023, when the flow reached almost two million people. Classic tourism sectors suffered serious losses: spending on hotel accommodation plummeted by 43.9%, in restaurants and cafes by 36.5%, and in duty-free shops by more than 52%. In five key areas of classic tourism, total spending fell from 4.3 billion to 2.62 billion shekels — a drop of more than 40%. Analysts explain the gap by several factors: the volume of online purchases using foreign cards increased, including equipment purchases by Jewish organizations; there was a rise in everyday spending at grocery stores and bakeries (+52.4%) due to expenses by new immigrants, diplomats, humanitarian mission staff, and journalists. An additional factor is inflation, which has approached 10%.