and facilities-------------Such a shame the Hotel Industry in Israel won't wise up.

As you say #27 - the ITB needs to promote this alternative option - sounds great #27 - With ideas like that - You need to be working for the ITB!

Last year I stayed in a small hotel in central Tel Aviv at €50.- per night. I was checked into a room not cleaned, I got a reduction of 50% for my next stay as an excuse! Now this year they have risen the price to €90.- per night. It's ridiculous . In one year the price nearly doubled. Indeed all the other accomodations came along with a similar price. Thanks G'd my Israeli friends were very welcoming and I stayed with them for my whole stay, without even asking them to do so. Chaverut amitit.

and what's more the type of the Talkabacks they choose to print and those that are not in line with Ynet 'ideology' (so obvious that one gets the urge to shout " what intellectual level you feeding your Newspaper with?! Sad, sad, sad..!

They should create a tax or fee for those crossing to PA, which would help the maintenance of the necessary and costly security measures as well as the economy of the country in general.

Just returned from 4 day 3 nite trip to JRS. Hotel cost about $100 per nite including excellent breakfast. Seems like a good price to me. Israel is generally expensive for understandable reasons but highly recommended!

Brother your assessment of the Basel (Sh*&hole) was spot on. I was booked there for a TDY about 25 years ago and I checked out the next day!!! Dirty, noisy, poor quality food...It had it all. Glad to hear they are keeping up their fine minhagim.

Agreed, there should be a long term programme to increase tourism, to lower prices, improve service, etc., but why should any Minister of Tourism care about this knowing that by the time this programme comes into operation in 2-3 years time he will no longer be in that Ministry, so his name won't be connected.

Can you tell me how you got the rate? The cheapest rates I see online are well over one hundred US dollars.

There's GOT to be something wrong with the statistics shown. I've traveled to Israel 5 times in the last four years, and I think I've gotten outstanding value. I couldn't spend 10 days anywhere in the U.S. for the same price I get in Israel. I agree that too many of the restaurants in Jerusalem are a bit pricey, but the meals provided to tourists (on guided tours) are outstanding.