عربي
Palestinian Central Bureau of Statistics (PCBS) and the Ministry of Tourism and Antiquities (MOTA)
World Tourism Day 27/09/2016
More than 2 Million Visits to Tourist Sites in the West Bank in the First Half of 2016
On World Tourism Day on September 27, the Palestinian Central Bureau of Statistics, in collaboration with the Ministry of Tourism and Antiquities, presents the following facts on tourism in Palestine.
During the first half of 2016, around 2.07 million visits were made to tourist and leisure sites in the West Bank. These included 952 thousand visits by inbound visitors and 1.12 million visits by domestic visitors. The number of inbound and domestic visits decreased by 5% and 32% respectively compared to the same period in 2015.
Most inbound visits were to Jericho and Al-Aghwar Governorate with 32%, followed by Bethlehem Governorate with 29%, and Jenin and Nablus Governorates with 16% and 14% respectively.
Number of Inbound Visits During the First Half of Years (2008-2016)
More Than Half of the Inbound Visits by Residents from 1948 Occupied Palestine
Palestinians residing in areas occupied in 1948 accounted for the largest proportion of inbound visitors with 54% with 514 thousand visits, followed by 7% from the United States with 66 thousand visits, and the Russian Federation by 6% with 57 thousand visits, and then India by 3% with 24 thousand visits, while the nationalities of both Poland and Romania are equally by 2% with 23 thousand visits for each, while 26% were from other nationalities with 245 thousand visits.
It should be noted that inbound and domestic visitor data do not include Jerusalem Governorate and Gaza Strip.
194 Thousand Hotel Guests Spent 605 Thousand Nights during the First Half of 2016 in the West Bank Hotels
The number of hotel guests in the West Bank reached 193,745 hotel guests spending 604,918 nights in the first half of 2016, showing a decrease in guests of 20% compared to the first half of 2015.
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Number of Guests by Nationality During First Half of 2015 and 2016 |
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Nationality |
2015 |
2016 |
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Palestine |
25,955 |
21,991 |
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Israel |
30,903 |
26,382
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Asia |
34,211 |
37,211 |
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USA & Canada |
21,276 |
17,998 |
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European Union |
76,340 |
56,557 |
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Other EU Count. |
32,769 |
16,369 |
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Other Countries |
21,030 |
17,237 |
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Total |
242,484 |
193,745 |
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Guests were distributed by region as follows: 52% in the south of the West Bank, 23% in Jerusalem hotels, 15% in the middle of the West Bank (Ramallah and Al-Bireh, Jericho and Al-Aghwar), and 10% in the north of the West Bank.
In June 2016, there were 113 hotels in the West Bank comprising 6,710 available rooms with 14,798 beds.
Around 7,064 Establishments Operating in the Tourism Sector in Palestine in 2014
There were 7,064 establishments working in the tourism sector in Palestine in 2014. The main operations included: 2,634 restaurants; 1,129 shops selling souvenirs and handicrafts; 1,667 outlets in beverage serving; 224 working in antiques and wooden handcrafts; 237 car rental services; 108 providing services organizing trips to Haj and Umrah; 116 in short-term accommodation (hotels) 58 travel and tourism agencies; and a further 891 establishments engaged in related tourism activities, including: creative arts and entertainment activities, and other recreational activities.
Total Output of Tourism Activities in 2014 was USD 603.2 Million
The total output of establishments working in tourism activities in 2014 was USD 603.2 million. This was made up of 38% by restaurants, 22% by accommodation activities, 12% of beverage serving activities, 7% from renting and operational leasing of passenger cars (without drivers), 7% for retail sale of souvenirs, craftwork and religious articles, and 14% distributed on the remaining tourism activities.