January 2026 statistics from the Central Bureau of Statistics indicate a renewed boom at Ben Gurion Airport: a surge in outbound travel, a remarkable strengthening of inbound tourism, and a renewed sense of international confidence in Israel’s tourism sector.
The Central Bureau of Statistics released January data today (02/05/2026), revealing a clear picture of recovery in the aviation sector: 675.2 thousand Israelis traveled abroad during the month – a sharp increase compared to 566.6 thousand departures recorded in January of the previous year.
As expected, a clear preference among Israelis is evident in air travel – approximately 602.9 thousand flew, accounting for 89% of total departures. Among all travelers, 32.3 thousand were Israeli residents living abroad who visited Israel and returned to their place of residence.
Inbound Tourism: Renewed Confidence in Israel
Alongside the wave of outbound travel, there was also an encouraging rise in inbound tourism: 124.7 thousand visitors entered Israel in January – a jump of more than 50% compared to 80 thousand visitors in January 2025. Of these, 120 thousand were classified as tourists who stayed at least one night in Israel.
The United States leads the list of countries from which tourists arrived in Israel, accounting for 36.7% of the entries. Following are France (7.6%), the United Kingdom (6.1%), and Russia (5.9%).
Additionally, data from the last three months (November 2025-January 2026) indicate a monthly average of 136.3 thousand tourist entries, showing a consistent increase compared to the previous three months.
Recovery Despite Turbulence
Broadly speaking, the numbers prove that the Israeli public continues to travel in large numbers, and inbound tourism to Israel is recovering at an encouraging pace, despite geopolitical and security challenges. The Central Bureau of Statistics notes that the data have been adjusted for disruptions caused by the “Iron Swords” conflict.
Ben Gurion Airport is already preparing for the expected congestion in the upcoming spring and summer months, with a forecast for continued growth in air traffic, both in departures and arrivals.
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