Abu Ghosh is rising in its tourist appeal, as for the first time a 120-room hotel will be built on its grounds. The town, located near Jerusalem, is mainly known for its many restaurants that attract tourists on weekends, but until now there were no accommodation options. Now, following a tender by the Israel Lands Authority in partnership with the Tourism Ministry, the winner named Tomer H. Tourism Assets Ltd., the hotel construction plan is expected to be implemented.
The plot on which the hotel will be built is part of the "Abu Ghosh-The Citadel Compound" plan located on the western side of the town, within the area of Derech Hashalom (Route 425), at the corner of Abad Al-Rahman Street, covering about 27 dunams.
The plot is situated on the British Police Compound (The Citadel) and its surroundings. The compound includes an area of about 14,800 square meters for tourism and leisure with about 120 hotel rooms, including two buildings designated for preservation, the British Police Citadel and the Villa building. These buildings serve as historical landmarks of significant importance to the region's heritage, and a new hotel will be built beside them; to the north of the hotel plot, an additional area of about 4 dunams is designated for a council building and part of it for commerce.
The Tourism Minister, Haim Katz: "The Tourism Ministry, under my leadership, is working to diversify and expand the supply of accommodation rooms throughout the country, especially in tourist centers such as Jerusalem and its surroundings. The new hotel will contribute to the development of tourism infrastructure in Abu Ghosh, connect visitors to the local culture, and promote tourism in the area".
Yaakov Kweint, Director of the Israel Land Authority: "We congratulate Tomer H. Tourism Properties Ltd. on winning the tender in which a new complex for hotels and resorts will be established in Abu Ghosh, expanding the hotel room offerings for domestic and international tourism in the area surrounding Jerusalem. The tender received an impressive response and ultimately 7 proposals were submitted. The Authority will continue to work towards creating solutions in the areas of tourism and leisure alongside housing, commerce, energy, and employment".