In the first seven months of this year, 821,800 tourists entered Israel - an increase of 58% compared to the same period last year, and 74% higher than for the same period in 2002. 88.6% of this number arrived by air, while 91,300 - more than double the same-period figure of last year - arrived by land. Eilat was the landing point of 26,600 air visitors - more than double last year's numbers. Tourism Minister Gideon Ezra, who took over from National Union MK Benny Elon two months ago, expressed satisfaction at the figures, and noted that an estimated 1.4 million tourists are forecast to visit Israel this year.