More foreign tourists, fewer Israelis staying in hotels

Herzliya Marina Hotel Photo: View Point
Herzliya Marina Hotel Photo: View Point

Overnights by foreign tourists were up 23% in April, while overnights by Israelis were down 7%.

April was another big month for Israeli hotels, at least where incoming tourism was concerned. Foreign tourist overnights totaled 1.17 million overnights in April, 23% more than in April 2017 and 53% more than in April 2016. Foreign tourists accounted for 52% of all hotel overnights. The leading locations were Jerusalem (32% of all hotel overnights) and Tel Aviv (23%).

While foreign tourist overnights rose, the trend in overnights by Israelis was in the other direction. Overnights by Israelis totaled 1.07 million in April 7% fewer than in April 2017 and 12% fewer than in April 2016. Hotel overnight including both foreign and Israeli tourists totaled 2.24 million in April, 6% more than in April last year and 13% more than in April 2016.

The nationwide hotel occupancy rate in April was 73%, 7% higher than in April 2017 and 10% more than in April 2016. The highest occupancy rate of 82% was in Tel Aviv and Nazareth, followed by Jerusalem and the Dead Sea with 77%, Eilat and Tiberias with 73%, Haifa with 72%, Herzliya with 69%, and Netanya with 66%. The number of available hotel rooms was 54,250, 4% more than in the same month least year and 6% more than in April 2016.

Foreign tourist overnights amounted to 3.85 million in January-April 2018, 19% more than in the corresponding period last year and 49% more than in the corresponding period in 2016. An interesting question is whether the trend will persist in May, despite the recent security events.

Commenting on the fall in overnights by Israelis, the Hotel Association said, "According to the cumulative figures to date, we are glad that 2018 has set new records in incoming tourism with a 19% increase in comparison with last year and a 49% increase in comparison with the corresponding period in 2016. At the same time, Israeli overnights did not increase in January-April in comparison with 2017 and 2016. Among other things, this is attributable to a drop in the prices of overseas flights resulting from the open skies policy, the relatively low shekel-dollar rate, and strong competition in the sector. Israeli hoteliers attach great importance to domestic tourism in Israel, which is one of the foundations on which the industry is based."

Published by Globes [online], Israel business news - www.globes-online.com - on May 23, 2018

© Copyright of Globes Publisher Itonut (1983) Ltd. 2018

Herzliya Marina Hotel Photo: View Point
Herzliya Marina Hotel Photo: View Point
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