The Israel Hotels Association published data for November 2018 tourist stays in hotels compared to the same period in the past two years.

In November, there were approximately 1.19 million foreign tourist stays, an increase of 4% compared with November of last year and 22% compared with November 2016. Tourists accounted for approximately 57% of stays. Most of the tourist stays were in Jerusalem (approximately 35%) and Tel Aviv (approximately 20%).

In the number of Israeli overnight stays, which reached 878,000, there was a decrease of 4% compared to November 2017, and a decrease of 1% compared to November 2016.

Thus there were a total of 2.1 million overnight stays, an increase of 1% compared with November 2017 and an increase of 11% compared to November 2016.

Room occupancy in November stood at an average of 74%, unchanged from November 2017 and a 4% increase over November 2016.

The highest occupancy rate was recorded in Nazareth, with approximately 85%, Jerusalem with 83%, Tel Aviv with 79%, the Dead Sea, Tiberias and Haifa with 75%, Eilat with 72% and Netanya with 61%.

The number of rooms stood at 54,864, an increase of 2% compared to last year and 6% compared with 2016.

Since the beginning of the year (January-November cumulative): 10.7 million tourist stays were registered, an increase of 9% compared to last year.

According to the Central Bureau of Statistics, from January-November there was an increase of 14% in tourist entries to Israel (3.8 million tourist arrivals in January-November this year, compared with 3.3 million last year), compared with only 9% In the corresponding period last year).

The hotel association said in response: “The high occupancy rate especially in Nazareth and Jerusalem is a sign of a growing trend in pilgrim tourism in Israel during this period.”