JERUSALEM, Jan. 27 (Xinhua) -- Foreign tourist overnight stays at Israeli hotels plummeted 76 percent year-on-year in 2024, according to data released by Israel's Central Bureau of Statistics on Monday.
The bureau reported 1.9 million foreign tourist overnight stays in 2024, down sharply from 7.7 million in 2023.
It attributed the decline to Israel's multi-front conflict following the Oct. 7 Hamas attack, which has deterred international visitors.
The bureau noted that the hotel industry adapted to wartime conditions, including shuttering hotels in high-risk areas and housing tens of thousands of evacuees under a government relocation plan.
Meanwhile, domestic tourism surged, with overnight stays by Israelis rising 12 percent year-on-year to 20.7 million in 2024 as hotels accommodated displaced citizens. ■
