Israel recorded a record increase in tourism for the month of November with 287,900 people entering the country. That's 38 percent more than last year and 31 percent more than 2014. The total for the year is more than 2.6 million, up two percent from 2015.
Tourism Minister Yariv Levin said tourism was worth more than 1.5 billion shekels to the economy last month, about NIS 400 million more a year ago. He credited the ministry's marketing efforts in new places like China and India. Industry sources cited the ministry's efforts to increase group tourism, which they called the important component in the recovery of the sector.