JERUSALEM, Dec. 31 (Xinhua) -- Israel's total tourism revenue fell by about 81 percent year on year in 2020 amid the COVID-19 crisis, the Ministry of Tourism said Thursday.
Revenues from tourism, mainly for small and medium-sized businesses, fell from 6.37 billion U.S. dollars in 2019 to 1.19 billion dollars in 2020, according to the ministry.
The number of tourists visiting Israel in 2020 amounted to 850,000, compared to 4.55 million tourists in 2019.
"The Israeli tourism industry has been hit hardest by the coronavirus crisis, with nearly 200,000 families employed in tourism losing their livelihoods," the ministry said.
It added that following the start of the vaccination campaign in Israel, a plan involving marketing, infrastructure and tourism experience is being prepared to revive the industry in the middle of 2021. Enditem