Promoting Christian Tourism to the Holy
Land and to Israel
Continuous violence
and conflict has had an enormous adverse financial impact on the
regional tourism industry. Both sides of the conflict suffer profound
loss, not just in terms of life and human dignity, but in terms of
economic and financial losses as well. Israeli unemployment recently
hit 11% and the rate in the territories has been as high as 30-60 %.
Everyone is suffering. Pave the Way is trying to change the course of
this negative effect, by encouraging special visits to the Holy Land,
by high-ranking Christian leaders both spiritual and secular. Some of
these prelates have been charged with the pastoral care and diocesan
responsibility of millions of the faithful Christians. When many of
the faithful see their spiritual leaders go to Israel and are accorded
wonderful courtesies, it encourages new pilgrimages. When through the
ministry of Tourism a Christian spiritual leader is the guest of the
Israeli government, their hosts will escort them not only to the
Christian shrines but also the Jewish Shrines. This furthers mutual
understanding and respect, while helping the local economies both
Israeli and Palestinian.
It is our beliefs
that as economies improve the seeds of violence and radicalism will
fail to take root. Pave the Way is working with the Israeli Ministry
of Tourism to encourage these most important pilgrimages. Our projects
in support of the repatriation of Christian Shrines and Jewish
Artifacts are invaluable in bringing Israel back as a destination for
the faithful of all faiths.
Partnering with
Israeli government officials, Pave the Way has been successful in
facilitating the removal of several protocol and procedural barriers
that have long been problematic to the already decimated tourism
industry.
Planning projects to benefit the tourism industry of
Israel with Raphael Ben-Hur Deputy minister of tourism in Israel..
The ministry of tourism is trying to encourage Christian tourist to
stay longer in the Holy sites of the territories in order to help
the local Palestinian population. This is an on going effort of both
the Israeli and Palestinian ministries of tourism. More tourism
means less violence.
May 2007, PTWF was asked to help the security personnel at Ben
Gurion airport and to prepared a manual of information on addressing
and dealing with religious leaders of every faith. The manual was
prepared and the airport personnel were very grateful for this
information.
