American Tourists Flocking to Israel

With fears over terrorism diminishing, Israel is experiencing an upswing in tourism like never before.
In the first three months of 2014, over 705,000 tourists visited Israel, a 17 percent increase from the same period last year. That number represents an all-time high for Israeli tourism. "A record 3.54 million tourists from around the world arrived in Israel in 2013," according to a statement from the government.

The United States represents the biggest travel market for the Holy Land, with 20 percent of tourists to Israel coming from North America. Visitors from Russia, Germany, France, and the U.K. are other big sources of tourism for the nation.

Israel remains an LGBT-friendly oasis in the Middle East, especially its largest city, Tel Aviv.