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According to data from the Israel Hotels Association, since the start of the year a fall of 27 percent has been recorded in the number of tourist hotel nights.  The number of hotel nights from Israeli guests increased by 3 percent. Hotels in the capital recorded the largest falls.  Director General of the Hotel Association: “The mission for now is to stop the falls and to reverse the trend by means of marketing activities.”

 “We are in the middle of a crisis for incoming tourism, that started at the end of 2008 with the military operation in Gaza, this lead to the cancellation of reservations by overseas travel agents and has lasted throughout 2009,” explained Shmuel Zurel, the director general of the Israel Hotels Association. According to Zurel this has led to a shortening of the length of tourist visits to Israel and a flow to the neighboring countries.

Between January and June a total of 8.7 million hotel nights (foreign tourists and Israelis) were recorded, a fall of 13 percent compared to the corresponding period last year. The total number of hotel nights for foreign tourists alone, totaled 3.7 million, this compared to 5.1 million the previous year and a decrease of 27 percent.

The largest fall in tourist hotel night was recorded in Jerusalem, with 35 percent fewer tourist nights compared to 2008.  Hotels in Tel Aviv recorded a 24 percent fall in tourist hotel nights; while Tiberias also recorded a 30 percent fall in tourist hotel nights.  Eilat recorded the gentlest decline, with a fall of 6 percent compared to last year.

 "In recent months there has been a gap between the relatively moderate falls in the number of tourists arriving in Israel and the sharp decline in the number of hotel nights”, explained Zurel that with the return of the Minister of Tourism from his marketing trips to the United States, based on his impression, there will be a meeting to evaluate the situation and then there will be a joint decision making process on marketing.

The one positive aspect of the data during the first half of 2009 were the number of Israeli hotel nights which increased by 3 percent.  63 percent of 5 million nights were taken at the Dead Sea and Eilat.  Jerusalem, Herzliya, Tiberias and Netanya also enjoyed from a large number of Israeli guests.

However the national room occupancy rate on average for the period January to June 2009 recorded a 16 percent fall compared to 2008 and totaled 54 percent.