ISRAEL TOURISM
March 2025
A Delegation of Christian Representatives Arrived from Italy The wheels of tourism to Israel are returning, and the Ministry of Tourism hosted religious leaders from Italy in honor of 2025 - the Jubilee Year declared by the Pope - in which pilgrims will be able to receive absolution in one of three churches in the country W ith the return of European airlines, the first wave of
lasted five days, included visits to major sites in the Holy Land, which are pilgrimage centers for pilgrims from around the world, as well as participation in mass at the Church of the Holy Sepulchre, visits to the Church of the Annunciation and other churches in the north of the country, as well as tours of the Tower of David Museum and the Pilgrims’ Path in Jaffa. According to the Ministry of Tourism, the cooperation with CNPI, combined with the Pope’s declaration, is expected to strengthen Israel’s position as a leading destination for global pilgrimage. As part of the preparations for the Jubilee Year, selected sites of interest and relevance to the Jubilee Year were mapped out, where minor infrastructure upgrades are planned, subject to budget approval. In addition, videos,
brochures, and letters in a variety of languages were distributed to pilgrims and key figures in organized pilgrimage, as well as videos and greetings that will welcome the groups at Ben Gurion Airport. “I was pleased to meet the members of the delegation, who expressed a great sense of confidence and satisfaction with the visit, and stated that they are working to bring tourist groups this year,” said Tourism Minister Haim Katz. “Israel is open to tourism and looks forward to the arrival of the pilgrims. “The Ministry of Tourism, which I head, invested 230 million shekels this year in developing infrastructure and attractions, of which 35 million shekels in sites with biblical-historical significance, which will be used by Christian visitors. We will continue to work to encourage tourism in the Jubilee Year.”
the industry, focusing on personalized marketing - door-to-door - for audiences with a high motivation to visit Israel/the Holy Land. The Italian delegation that arrived in Israel last week included Catholic religious leaders from Italy who belong to the CNPI organization - a central body that organizes pilgrimage tourism throughout Italy under the auspices of the Vatican. The visit took place as part of the ministry’s efforts to leverage the Pope’s declaration of a Jubilee year in which indulgences can be received in one of the three basilicas in the Holy Land - the Church of the Annunciation in Nazareth, the Church of the Holy Sepulchre in Jerusalem and the Church of the Nativity in Bethlehem. The delegation’s visit, which
tourist groups arrived in Israel last week as guests of the Ministry of Tourism, which hosted senior Catholic religious leaders from Italy. As you may recall, the Italian Deputy Prime Minister and Foreign Minister visited Israel, announcing that the country was lifting the travel warning to Israel. Meanwhile, the Italian airline ITA announced that it would resume its flights to Israel starting next month. According to the Ministry of Tourism, 2025 is supposed to be a year of recovery for tourism from abroad, and the expectation is that approximately three million tourists will arrive in Israel this year. As a result, the ministry is working on an innovative strategy to restore
18 • www.itn.co.il
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