Some 1.6 million people visited Israel between January and July, according to figures released by the Tourism Ministry  – an increase of 39 % over the same period in 2009, and 10% more than in 2008, the country’s previous record year.

Israel’s two biggest cities, Jerusalem and Tel Aviv, received accolades earlier this month as they topped tourism magazine Travel and Leisure’s list of 10 best cities in Africa and the Middle East.
The ranking compiled by Travel and Leisure readers placed Jerusalem as the best city and put Tel Aviv in third place, with only the coastal South African city of Cape Town in between them.
Jerusalem, scoring 87.55, and Tel Aviv, scoring 83.38, beat out Marrakesh, Cairo, Petra, Dubai, Alexandria, Nairobi and Amman as the top cities in the region.