JERUSALEM – (ANS)-
A total of 90,000 tourists are expected to arrive in Israel over the Christmas
holiday, a third of which are pilgrims for the Christian holiday, according to
the Israel Ministry of Tourism (IMOT).

According to the Ministry of
Tourism, during the first half of this year, 1.6 million tourists visited
Israel, 60 percent of whom were Christian. IMOT says some 2.1 million Christian
tourists will have visited Israel by the end of the year.

“The Christian community along
its many denominations and hundreds of millions of believers, is a central
anchor to Israel’s incoming tourism industry,” said Minister of Tourism
Stas Misezhnikov. “The Ministry of Tourism is working year round with
communities in Israel and abroad to promote cooperation with leaders and believers
from around the world, who act as a bridge toward peace and promoting
pilgrimages in the Holy Land.”

Israel’s tourism ministry, police,
municipalities and border crossing officials are working with Christian
communities in order to create a welcoming entry and exit to and from Israel.
Misezhnikov was due to host leaders of the Christian communities in Israel and
officials from the pilgrim tourism industry in a holiday reception on Monday
(Dec.12).

The Ministry of Tourism will also
provide free transportation for pilgrims traveling between Jerusalem and
Bethlehem. Beginning Saturday, Dec. 24 at 12:00 through Sunday, Dec. 25 at
12:00, busses will leave from Mar Elias Monastery to the Church of the Nativity
and return on a need basis.

In order to make border crossings as
easy as possible, the Ministry of Tourism is currently preparing the names of
the tourists and pilgrims wishing to do so.

Contact the Ministry of Tourism’s
open hotline for tourists at 050.621.4070 or 050.621.4127.

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About Nicole Jansezian

Nicole
Jansezian is a journalist and editor based in Jerusalem.
Nicole
moved to Israel more than six years ago. An experienced
journalist, Nicole now speaks Hebrew and “Israeli,” a
language in itself, and is learning Arabic … in hopes of one day
catching up with her husband who grew up in Jerusalem and speaks
five languages. Nicole has more than 10 years of reporting
experience. Her stateside experience includes The Associated Press
and a daily newspaper in New Hampshire. In Israel, Nicole
freelances and has worked as an editor of a monthly magazine

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