‘The COVID-19 pandemic had a particularly significant impact on the possibility to travel. We are, therefore, primarily seeking to restore such flow of Israeli tourists to our country as it was before the pandemic. A larger and more convenient choice of direct flights, coordinated arrival of tourists, and more active cooperation in attracting customers would also have an impact on that’, - said A. Armonaitė.
In 2019, just over 30,000 tourists from Israel have arrived in Lithuania. While in 2021, this number was 6.8 thousand tourists. It is expected that nearly 13,000 tourists from Israel could arrive this year in Lithuania.
It has been agreed by the protocol signed by the Ministers of Lithuania and Israel that the countries will participate in the national tourism exhibitions organised by each other, will promote exchanges of tourism start-ups and students, and will cooperate in the field of innovation and Travel-Tech. Furthermore, the countries will support the position of each other in various international organisations.
During the visit to Israel, the Lithuanian Minister visited the international tourism exhibition IMTM, which presents the possibilities of Lithuanian tourism. The national tourism development agency Lithuania Travel, Palanga, Birštonas, Druskininkai resorts, Lithuanian sanatoriums, and tour operators are participating in the exhibition. Much attention is paid to presenting ‘Kaunas - the European Capital of Culture 2022‘.
A business mission also took place in Tel Aviv. During this mission, the Lithuanian representatives of tourism business, hotels, and resorts met with representatives of Israeli tourism sector and presented to them the main products of our country - travel around cities, wellness trips, trips in nature.
Israeli tourists are among the tourists who stay in Lithuanian the longest. In 2021, a foreign tourist spent an average of 2.34 nights in the country, while Israeli tourists - 3.8 nights. In 2019, tourists from Israel were also among the travellers who spent the most money in Lithuania - they spent an average of 474 EUR during one travel, and their expenditure was well above the overall average of expenditure of all foreign tourists per travel, which was 340 EUR.
