RAMALLAH, November 12, 2009 (WAFA)- Palestinian Central Bureau of Statistics (PCBS) said, 168,582 Guests During the First Half of Year 2009, There are 91 operating hotels in June 2009, offering 4,511 rooms with 9,825 total available beds.

PCBS issued findingns on Tourism Activity in the Palestinian Territory on the Occasion of Palestinian and Arab Tourism Day 15/11/2009. It said the total number of guests in Palestinian hotels was 168,582 guests during the first half of year 2009, and the total number of guest nights was 409,013 nights.

The rate of occupancy of rooms in Palestinian hotels was 26%, decreasing from 34% in the same period of year 2008. The Average Expenditure of the Hotels Guests in 2009 was US$ 1,530.

The percentage of guests arriving to West Bank hotels from all over the world was 80%; 20% of the hotel guests were Palestinians and 32% of guests came from European countries.

The average length of stay of the hotel guest in the West Bank (in and out of the hotels) was 6 nights. The average expenditure during a hotel guest visit to the West Bank was US$ 1,530.

The results indicated that the average daily expenditure for inbound guests in West Bank hotels was US$ 219 and the average daily expenditure for residents as hotel guests was US$ 172.

More than Half of Inbound Visitors Visited Religious Places The primary results of the Same Day Visitors Survey 2009 indicated: 28.3% of the Inbound visitors visited the Church of the Nativity in Bethlehem, 25.2% visited the Church of the Holy Sepulcher in Jerusalem, 19.6% visited old Jericho (Tell Al Sultan), 8.3% visited the church and gardens of Gethsemane in Jerusalem.

5.9% visited Hisham’s Palace in Jericho, 10.7% visited other places such as urban areas and amusement parks in the Palestinian Territory.