Prices in the Gazan tourism sector have become even more expensive than world-renowned destinations such as Sharm el-Sheikh in Egypt.
Holiday chalets, consisting of a private small house with a swimming pool and a garden, cost as much as $800 per day, or half the price or slightly less for 10 or 12 hours, according to Ibrahim Khaled, the founder of Naseem app for booking holiday chalets in the Gaza Strip. But despite the price, they have become very popular among families seeking short vacations, in light of the pollution on the Gaza beaches.
Fees for the territory's few hotels are higher than other international hotels, and most middle-class Gazans cannot afford them. The four-star Mashtal Hotel in the west of Gaza City offers a one-night stay with breakfast and internet access at $85. This price was seen as ridiculously high for Gazans compared to hotels of the same class outside the Gaza Strip.
“We have no independent Palestinian national economy that allows developing the tourism industry,” Khaled explained. “Tourism companies in the West Bank post on social media offers for trips to Turkey and Jordan that include travel tickets, accommodation for days, and food at prices lower than renting a chalet for a day or two in Gaza. The residents of the West Bank enjoy more freedom of movement than the residents in the besieged enclave.”
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