Subscribe to Print Edition | Tue., February 19, 2008 Adar1 13, 5768 | | Israel Time: 02:16 (EST+7) web haaretz.com   Back to Homepage Rosner's Domain Diplomacy Defense Jewish World Opinion National Print Edition Advertising Books Arts & Leisure Business Real Estate Easy Start Travel Week's End Anglo File

Tourism breaks record in Jan. By Irit Rosenblum Tags: Israel, Tourism, Hotels  The year 2008 may have started with blues in the capital market, but hotels are applauding. Incoming tourism broke all records, with 182,000 tourists visiting Israel in January, up 57% from the year before, when 116,000 arrived. The previous record had been January 2000, when nearly 170,000 tourists came to Israel. Tourism industry sources estimate that for the year, about 1.9 million people will visit the country. "Despite the assassination of [Hezbollah commander Imad] Mughniyah, the feeling is that it's business as usual and the traffic continues to flow," commented Shmuel Marom, chairman of the Israel Incoming Tour Operators Association. However, if fighting erupts on Israel's northern borders, it could dampen the momentum, he admits. Advertisement Of the total, 29,000 of the incoming visitors in January arrived by land, crossing from Egypt through Taba, according to the Central Bureau of Statistics. These were mostly "day visitors" from Eastern Europe. Bookmark to del.icio.us   Artistic justice Israel Museum to exhibit art looted by Nazis and unclaimed. Let in snow For second time this winter, Jerusalem braces for snow.

Today Online Bradley Burston: Anti-Zionism as a form of racism Responses: 266 Foreign Min. expected to slam Iran anti-Israel jibe in missive to UN Responses: 235 Top diplomat: Calling Sderot-Gaza violence 'cycle' may breed terror Responses: 114 Anshel Pfeffer: Are Israeli policies risking the lives of Diaspora Jews? Responses: 60 Abbas rejects PM call to defer talks on Jerusalem Responses: 87 Report: Progress made in Shalit prisoner swap deal Responses: 35 More Headlines 23:45 FM: Ending peace talks now would bolster Hamas 02:16 Lebanon braces itself for possible Hezbollah attack on Israel 23:45 Foreign Ministry said to slam Iranian anti-Israel jibe in missive to UN 22:05 Nine Qassams hit Negev, one strikes yard of home in Sderot 20:24 Top diplomat: Calling violence in south a 'cycle' may breed terror 01:57 France sends 29 to trial over kidnap and murder of Jewish man 01:47 Israelis 30 times more likely to be wiretapped than Americans 01:19 Vatican: Pius XII sainthood process not stalled 00:58 Coldest January in 15 years falls short of being Israel's harshest winter 22:04 Ashkenazi Chief Rabbi to retain position despite AG opposition 21:55 Mauritania releases 8 detained after Israeli embassy attack 22:40 Prisons Service refuses early release of man charged with giving Hezbollah information 00:10 Defense Min. in Singapore set to publicly attend weapons expo Previous Editions Select Day 18 feb 17 feb 15 feb 14 feb 13 feb 12 feb 11 feb 10 feb 08 feb 07 feb 06 feb 05 feb

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