US tourists slowly returning to Israel
US tourists are slowly returning to Israel, with 32,500 visiting in June (up 73% from last year) and 36,600 in July (up 15%, 33% of all tourists). The Wall Street Journal reported the sluggish recovery. Limited flight supply remains a barrier, with American Airlines resuming next spring and Delta/United next month.
US tourists are slowly returning to Israel, marking the first signs of recovery in a tourism industry hit hard since October 7, 2023. The Wall Street Journal reported the sluggish recovery in an article titled "A trickle of Americans is returning to Israel." Israel's Ministry of Tourism reports that 32,500 US tourists visited in June, up 73% from last year when the 12-day war with Iran was raging. In July, 36,600 US tourists visited, up 15% from last year and comprising 33% of all tourists entering the country that month. The improvement follows years of difficulty: the Covid pandemic hit incoming tourism in 2020, followed by the war in Gaza and clashes with Iran. In the first half of 2026, foreign tourists spent only about $700 million, compared with about $3 billion in all of 2025. The number of visitors this year is expected to be the lowest in about half a century, excluding Covid years. A key barrier is limited flight supply: American Airlines will not resume flights until next spring, while Delta and United resume next month, forcing many to travel via Europe or pay high fares on Israeli airlines. The WSJ spoke with American tourists who came despite concerns, including a Boston family arriving for a Bar Mitzvah trip postponed for two years.