Despite the ongoing war with Hamas, Israel's ministry of tourism reports that in January, the country reached 34% of the number of North American tourists it had during the same month of 2023.
"More than one in three [North American] tourists are accounted for in those people that are showing their commitment," said Chad Martin, the Israel Ministry of Tourism's director of the U.S. Northeast region, who called the number "astounding" and "inspiring."
Who those visitors are in some cases is a mystery even to the ministry.
"I don't have a full profile on it. I don't even know every group that goes," Martin said. "These groups are sprouting out of the ground. It's grassroots."
The Israel-Hamas war has sparked worldwide protest, debate and outrage on both sides of the conflict. For those who support Israel, quite a few show it by visiting the country at a time when that would seem unlikely, resulting in a strong showing of "solidarity travel."
"Largely it's from those bases of people that have been to Israel," Martin said. "And they are wanting to show support and volunteering. These are trips that are coming to contribute. They're not just coming to say, 'We're here.' They're saying, 'How can we help?'"
A handful of tour groups will soon add to those numbers, saying they plan to resume tours to Israel this spring.
Many of the largest tour operators have canceled Israel tours for half or most of 2024. Tauck's spring departures are canceled through May, Collette's through June, Intrepid's through August, and G Adventures has canceled all tours to Israel through December.
A major challenge to restarting itineraries is the continuing lack of airlift from the U.S. While most European airlines, including Lufthansa and British Airways, have resumed service to Israel, U.S. carriers haven't. United will return in March with Newark-Tel Aviv service.
Delta and American haven't announced an Israel return, but Martin said "all legacy carriers have indicated an interest in resuming service from New York-area airports to Tel Aviv at some point in April. They seem aware that there is strong demand for nonstop flights despite the current situation."
Israel's flag carrier, El Al, has been operating from all of its U.S. bases since the war began. In April, El Al will two launch two weekly flights from Fort Lauderdale and intends to add more flights from Los Angeles, Boston, New York and Newark.
Tour operators jumping back in
The additional flight availability is one of the reasons that Ya'lla Tours will resume trips to Israel this spring.
"As of today, most European airlines, low-cost and scheduled airlines, are flying back to Israel, and by May all U.S. carriers will do it, as well," said Ronen Paldi, president of Ya'lla. "If the airlines deem Israel to be safe for them to fly, why not have tourists flying?"
Martin said that due to the thousands of displaced Israelis, hotel occupancy is "tricky" right now, especially in the lower-budget sector. The higher-end hotels that are most popular with the U.S. market do have availability, he said.
Ya'lla is among a small group of tour operators resuming Israel trips this spring.
Another is Mejdi Tours, a Florida-based operator that offers "socially conscious group tours," typically led by both Israeli and Palestinian guides. The company will resume tours to Israel beginning March 9 with a new six-day itinerary called Israel and Palestine Beyond the Headlines.
Mejdi's director of operations, Kim Passy Yoseph, said she wants to counteract what she sees as a growing number of tours capitalizing on the recent tragedies from a one-sided, pro-Israel perspective.
"There is no other company today that is willing and brave enough to offer an additional narrative," Yoseph said. "Everyone is so strongly stuck to their own narrative and stuck to the idea that one side has to be right. And they're doing trips that are solely focused on one side."
Mejdi calls the trip "a mission" that seeks to "transcend the headlines by bringing visitors together with guides, experts, local communities, families and organizations to better grasp the situation on the ground and to support those who continue to pursue a more just, peaceful future."
Ya'lla will resume regular tours in May. Paldi said it would offer a one-day extension to guests on those tours, who will meet with local journalists who have covered the war. With permission from the Israeli army, the add-on will also bring guests to the southern region of Israel, where several communities were abandoned due to the conflict.
Paldi hopes the visit will put into perspective the damage to the communities most impacted by the attacks and said the extensions would not be marketed or promoted. Interested guests will be screened to determine why they want to go. "We're waiting for them to approach us," Paldi said. "I just want to make sure they're not doing it for a selfie reason; that they really have an interest and a lot of empathy."