Israel ranks 8th in global hotel rates
Hotels.com Hotel Price Index for first half of 2012 reveals Jewish state one of most expensive countries for British travelers
Israel is one of the most expensive countries for British travelers, according to the Hotels.com Hotel Price Index (HPI) for the first six months of 2012.
The report, published last week, ranks almost all countries in the world according to the average hotel rates per night, as well as hundreds of cities across the world.
According to the HPI, Israel ranked eighth in the world in average hotel rates in January-June 2012, with a 4% price hike compared to the first half of 2011.
Monaco ranked first with an average hotel rate of £192 (about $307), followed by Oman, Mauritius, Brazil, Russia, Jordan, Switzerland, Israel, Singapore and the United Arab Emirates.
While the average hotel rate in Israel is £139 ($223) a night, according to the survey, the price in the United States is £115 ($184), in Denmark - £107 ($171), in Canada – £105 ($168), in Holland - £103 ($165), in England - £81 ($130), in Iceland – £83 ($133), in New Zealand – £74 ($118), and in Germany - £87 ($140).
The most expensive city for UK travelers is Monte Carlo with an average hotel rate of £197 a night, followed by Rio de Janeiro at £182.
Jerusalem came in 40th with an average hotel rate of £113 ($181) – more expensive than Cape Town, London, Milan, Helsinki, Copenhagen, Munich, Tokyo, Barcelona, Frankfurt and Shanghai.
Tourism Minister Stas Misezhnikov recently appointed a committee to look into ways to reduce hotel prices, which he says are making it difficult for Israel to compete for many tourist segments in the world.
