Gaza's gross domestic product (GDP) has contracted by 86 percent year on year in the first three months of 2024 amid intensifying Israeli attacks, according to data released by Palestinian Central Bureau of Statistics (PCBS) on Thursday.
The PCBS statement shows that the GDP of Palestine in the first quarter of 2024 declined by 35 percent year on year, while that of the Gaza Strip sharply shrank by 86 percent due to ongoing Israeli attacks, indicating that the local economic system has collapsed.
The West Bank also saw a year-on-year contraction by 25 percent.
Palestine's GDP per capita was 491 U.S. dollars in the first three months of 2024, down 36 percent compared to the same period of last year, with that of the Gaza Strip decreased by 86 percent.
Gaza's GDP contracts 86 pct amid Israeli attacks
Gaza's GDP contracts 86 pct amid Israeli attacks
Businesses in Wuhan, capital of central China's Hubei Province, have capitalized on floral-themed offerings to drive tourism and consumer spending, as cherry blossoms the city pink.
At a downtown restaurant, cherry blossom cheesecake soufflés and set meals have drawn crowds.
"The cherry blossom atmosphere here is so strong. I didn't expect that it feels so nice at the restaurant," said a diner tasting the floral dessert.
"We launched cherry blossom-themed promotions. Since early March, the daily diner flow has risen by 15 to 20 percent," said Zou Longpeng, director of the restaurant.
Besides desserts, the city has also provided various new creative blossom-themed scenarios for tourists to enjoy themselves. For example, over 100 potted cherry trees have transformed a shopping avenue into a mesmerizing petal-strewn tunnel in Wuchang District.
A hotel in Guanggu area has decorated its rooms with various cherry blossom patterns, while providing its guests with a map of cherry blossom spots and souvenir boxes.
According to the latest data, online searches of "Wuhan" surged nearly 100 percent week-on-week, while ticket bookings for blossom-viewing sites jumped over five folds. Hotel reservations in Hubei rose 10 percent, with the reservation rate near major cherry blossom spots exceeding 90 percent for late March.
Cherry blossoms fuel tourism in Wuhan
