(haipo) – The Central Bureau of Statistics has published data on overnight stays in tourist hotels for the months of January-February 2026, which shows that the hotel industry in Israel is still affected by the security upheavals of recent years. Within the complex national picture, Haifa presents interesting data: a decrease compared to last year, but still performing well compared to other cities.
According to the data, "room occupancy by district ranges from 32% in the Northern District to 56% in the Southern District." Within this range, Haifa is above the national average.
Haifa: Sharp decline compared to 2025 – but still among the leaders
According to the data, room occupancy in Haifa in January-February 2026 was 44.2%, compared to 57.6% in the same period last year, a decrease of about 13.4 percentage points.
Despite this, Haifa is above the national average, which was only 44.8%.
The document notes that “in February… the highest room occupancy was recorded in Eilat (62%), followed by Haifa and the Dead Sea (49%).” This figure places Haifa in second place nationwide in February, a significant achievement during a time of uncertainty in the industry.
Comparison to other cities: Eilat leads, Tiberias at the bottom
Eilat – Eilat continues to show the highest figures in Israel. In February 2026, it recorded an occupancy rate of 62%, the highest in the country.
The Dead Sea – The Dead Sea recorded an occupancy rate of 49%, the same as Haifa, placing the area at the top.
Tel Aviv and Jerusalem – Tel Aviv recorded an occupancy rate of 43.1%, slightly below Haifa. Jerusalem stood at 40.7%, also down from last year.
Tiberias – Tiberias continues to show particularly low figures, with occupancy of only 34% in February, the lowest in Israel.
Haifa above the center and Tel Aviv, below the south
According to Table A, the Haifa District (which includes the city of Haifa) presents a relatively high figure:
Haifa is ranked second nationally after the south, a significant achievement at a time when some hotels in the north and center are suffering from a sharp decline in demand.
Status: Partial recovery, but still a long way to go
The data reflects an industry that is still in flux. According to the CBS: "With the start of the 'With a Dog' campaign... there was a sharp decline in the number of tourist overnight stays."
Despite this, Haifa manages to maintain relative stability and even stand out favorably in some months.
The city benefits from a combination of business tourism, domestic tourism, and foreign tourism, which helps it better cope with security shocks.
The hotels are profiting handsomely from the war, full of media people from all over the world in the hotels, along with medical officials who have moved to live close to the hospitals.