Israel Travel

Pope Benedict XVI starts today his first papal visit to the Holy Land, after visiting Jordan. The Pope's Holy Land Pilgrimage, from May 11 until May 15, will include visits to the holy sites in Jerusalem, Nazareth and Bethlehem.

During his five day visit, the Pope will deliver, on the afternoon of 12 May, a Holy Mass at the Kidron Valley in Jerusalem, where thousands of worshipers are expected to participate. The Pope will also visit Yad Vashem (11 May) and the Temple Mount, the Western Wall, Mount Zion, the Cenacle and Gethsemane Church (12 May). After a visit to Bethlehem and Mass at Manger Square, (13 May), Pope Benedict will deliver another Mass in Nazareth at Mount Precipice and will pray at the Church of the Annunciation (14 May).

More than 15,000 Christian pilgrims are expected to accompany the Pope on his trip to Israel. The Pope's visit is expected to generate more than $50 million for Israel, according to BBC news.

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More than 60,000 Christian pilgrims are expected to visit Israel in Christmas holiday 2007, a rise of 50% compare to 2006, according to The Israeli Tourism Ministry estimation.

The number of Christian tourists that visit Israel this year increased by 30% to one million, half of them were Christian pilgrims.

Israel has numerous sites of importance to Christianity, from the Old City of Jerusalem to Nazareth, the Sea of Galilee, Mount Gilboa and Caesarea.

More than 2.1 million tourists visited Israel in the first 11 months of the year, a 24% rise over the same period in 2006. Israel's Ministry of Tourism is expecting 2.8 million tourists in 2008.

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