As crowds return, Israel’s Red Sea resort rolls out freebies and bargains

Hotels and beaches in Eilat are filling up again as visitors, including Israelis, return to the shoreline and promenade. Pleasant weather and attractive room rates are drawing bookings that start from 150 shekels ($41) per person per night. Prohibitions remain in place. Several hotel chains have reopened after a wave of cancellations earlier in March.

Businesses across the resort town—including malls, cafes, and restaurants—have switched back to full capacity, making it hard to secure a table. Property owners report a surge in demand, with phones ringing without pause.

The rebound follows a stretch of heightened tensions. Eilat has recorded only four alarms so far, and Israeli vacationers who fled sirens and missiles elsewhere have extended their stays in what is described as one of the safest cities in the country at the moment. A week and a half earlier, the area faced threats that included intercepted drones and a ballistic missile launch from Iran.

The combination of relative quiet and seasonal conditions has nudged both residents and tourists back to the waterfront, with beaches and hotels again seeing steady footfall and occupancy.

Municipal efforts are reinforcing the recovery.

The Eilat municipality and the Eilat Tourism Corporation are continuing initiatives through the end of March, notably “101 Experiences, 0 Shekels, One Eilat” and “Here We Entertain.” These free activities are designed to disperse crowds across the city and keep programming near protected spaces. They require advance registration and operate under Home Front Command instructions and safety regulations. The lineup includes workshops and culinary events such as charcoal drawing sessions, wine tastings, and ice cream experiences.

Together, the initiatives are intended to give residents and visitors a break from routine amid the ongoing fighting and security tensions, with dozens of experiences and events offered for refreshment. By keeping events near protected spaces and aligning operations with emergency guidance, the municipality and its partners have structured tourism to persist under current constraints.

Rate cuts are broad and visible. Hotels that had been operating on a limited scale have reopened, posting discounts that match the city’s push to stabilize tourism. Some chains that reported losses from March cancellations are advertising headline deals, with specific family-room offers such as Club Hotel at 1,081 shekels ($292) and Astral Palma at 1,796 shekels ($485) for room only. The promotions have helped swing momentum back toward Eilat’s mainstay sectors and boosted confidence among operators who had shuttered properties or pared back services.