Less than a third of the three million tourists who visit Bethlehem every year spend at least one night there, according to the Palestinian Hotel Association. A nearby trader lamented the fact tourists don't bother to explore the city's streets and markets. DIVERSIFYSamir Hazboun, head of the Bethlehem chamber of commerce, said the city was trying to diversify its offerings. Wissam Salsaa, the hotel's manager, said many guests had never dreamed of visiting Bethlehem or the West Bank until the hotel was established. These mostly young tourists normally come in small groups, not competing with the buses of often older tourists visiting the church.

Source: Daily Nation December 23, 2019 16:18 UTC