The number of hotel overnights was 3% higher in 2003 than in 2002. Tourist hotel overnights rose by 25%, while hotel overnights by Israelis fell by 1%. Tourist hotel overnights were 66% below the level before the outbreak of the intifada in 2000, while hotel overnights by Israelis were up 20%.
Israel Hotel Association figures published today indicate that hotels' aggregate estimated losses were NIS 400 million in 2003, similar to the losses in 2002.
Hotel proceeds totaled NIS 3.9 billion in 2003, similar to the proceeds in 2002. Proceeds from Israelis fell by 3.3%, while proceeds from tourists rose by 15%.
Hotel overnights totaled 15 million. Tourist overnights totaled 3.3 million, while overnights by Israelis totaled 11.8 million, 78% of total hotel overnights. 60% of the overnights by Israelis were in Eilat and the Dead Sea.
Average room occupancy was 42% in 2003, 5% higher than in 2002, but 30% lower than in 2000.
There were 1.2 million hotel overnights in December, 9% more than in December 2002. Tourist hotel overnights were up 38% to 353,000. Hotel overnights by Israelis were unchanged at 903,000.
Published by Globes [online] - www.globes.co.il - on January 26, 2004