The Israel Hotel Association released its October 2024 occupancy report on Sunday, revealing a grim picture for the hospitality industry. Despite the typically bustling High Holiday season, Israeli hotel stays dropped 29% compared to October 2023 (after October 7), while international tourism plummeted due to the escalating conflict in the north.
"Approximately 90 hotels have been closed since the war began, accounting for 20% of the industry, and the situation is worsening," said Sivan Detauker, CEO of the Israel Hotel Association.
International tourist stays have nearly vanished. Only 120,000 overnight stays by tourists were recorded in October 2024—a 63% decrease from October 2023, when the war broke out, and an 86% drop compared to October 2022. Year-to-date figures are equally dire: just 1.6 million tourist stays were recorded in 2024, down from 7.5 million the previous year.
Israeli hotel stays totaled 1.58 million in October, a 29% decline from the same period last year, despite the High Holidays falling entirely in October this year. The decrease is attributed to fewer evacuees staying in hotels compared to 2023 and a drop in domestic travel due to the conflict in the north. Major cities like Haifa (down 51%), Tiberias (45%), and Nazareth (80%) were particularly hard hit.
Nationwide room occupancy averaged 51% in October, down from 63% last year, marking the lowest monthly occupancy in 2024. Only a few locations fared better, including Eilat (72%), Netanya (63%), and the Dead Sea (62%).
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According to the Central Bureau of Statistics, Israeli stays from January to October 2024 reached 17.8 million, up from 13.9 million in the same period last year. However, this increase is due to the inclusion of evacuees in the 2024 data, which were not counted in 2023.