RAMALLAH, September 27, 2018 (WAFA) – Marking World Tourism Day on Thursday, the Palestinian Central Bureau of Statistics (PCBS) and the Ministry of Tourism and Antiquities (MOTA) said in a joint report that there were more than 3.1 million visits to tourist sites in the West Bank during the first half of 2018.

These included 1.48 million visits by inbound visitors and 1.65 million visits by domestic visitors. The number of inbound visits increased by 5.8% compared to the first half of 2017.

Most inbound visits were to Bethlehem governorate comprising 35% of the visits, followed by Jericho and Jordan Valley governorate at 30%, and Nablus and Jenin governorates at 13% and 11% respectively.

Palestinians residing in areas occupied in 1948 accounted for the largest proportion of inbound visitors at 47% with 694,000 visits, followed by arrivals from the USA by 7% with 110,000 visits, Russian Federation by 7% with 106,000 visits, Poland by 4% with 52,000 visits and then Romania by 3% with 44,000 visits, while 32% were from other nationalities with 473,000 visits.

It should be noted that inbound and domestic visitors’ data do not include Jerusalem and Gaza Strip.

The final findings of the Tourism Satellite Accounts for 2016 in Palestine indicate that the total consumption on inbound tourism showed a decrease by 5.8% in 2016 compared to 2014. The consumption on inbound tourism totaled to $1,019.3 million in the year 2016, including both overnight stay visitors and same day visitors compared to $1,082.3 million in the year 2014.

While  the consumption on domestic tourism totaled $129 million and  the consumption on outbound tourism by Palestinians abroad was $388 million during 2016.

The number of hotel guests in the West Bank reached 301,422 in the first half of 2018; they spent 893,890 nights. When compared with the first half of 2016 and the first half of 2017, the number of guests increased by 55.6% and 16% respectively.

The total number of guests was distributed by region as follows: 68.7% of total guests in South of West Bank hotels, mainly Bethlehem; 18.1% in Jerusalem; 5.4% in the center of the West Bank (Ramallah, al-Bireh, Jericho and Jordan Valley); and 7.8% in the north of West Bank.

In June 2018, there were 130 hotels in the West Bank comprising 7,390 available rooms with 16,217 beds.

According to the results of the Palestinian Population, Housing and Establishments Census 2017, the number of establishments operating in the tourism sector reached 11,943 establishments during 2017, with 36,861 employees, constituting 8.3% of the total number of employees in the Palestinian establishments.

The total number of employees in the tourism activities is distributed as follows: 62.9% working in food and beverage service activities, 13.4% works in amusement and recreation activities, 9% working in accommodation activities, 6.3% manufacture and sale of handicrafts and souvenirs, 3.3% travel agency, tour operator, reservation service and related activities, and 5.1% of the employees are distributed on the rest of tourism activities.

M.K.