"All these factors together have reawakened interest in the Holy Land. Not only on the part of Europe but also -- and this is a novelty -- of Asia," said the priest. Benefits The Holy Land Custos welcomed the many benefits that pilgrims bring to the Holy Land, including "much serenity to the families that in recent years have suffered from the lack of pilgrims." He said it has brought an economic rebirth to the region: "There are new hotels under construction. Everything is moving." Relative calm in the area is also bringing more tourists to the holy sites, the priest noted. "There is no violence in the Palestinian territories," he said. "Perhaps there is some talk of Gaza, but it is very far away, it is outside the ambit of pilgrims." Hence, in the region of the Holy Land, Father Pizzaballa observed, "there is not much perception of the tension that continues, especially at the level of lack of communication between the sides, and less so in the territories where the situation is not so problematic as it was some years ago." The priest also pointed out the impact of the media on the situation in the last few months. "There is less talk of the Holy Land in reference to negative news," he suggested. Following a papal lead Father Pizzaballa further noted that Benedict XVI's May 2009 pilgrimage to the Holy Land brought a "positive vision" of the region. In the Holy Father's addresses, the priest recalled, he made an "indirect call to all the Churches of the world to make a pilgrimage to the Holy Land." The Custos affirmed that peace in the territory is not only about "agreements among the great" but also and above all about "the realities of life in the territory." "When people work," Father Pizzaballa reflected, "when families live in a condition of serenity, that atmosphere is created, that humus, that base which is also necessary to create later a mentality and culture of peace for the future." Zenit – 26 July 2010
Summer Tourism numbers heat up Ministry survey shows highest tourist satisfaction with archaeological sites and guides. Incoming tourist figures continue to break records. On Monday, the Tourism Ministry announced that 280,000 people had visited Israel in July, 11 percent higher than last July’s figures and an all-time record for the month. According to ministry figures, 1.9 million tourists entered the country between January and July, an increase of 34% over the same period last year, and 10% more than what was registered during those months in 2008 – which was a record year for tourism. July was the ninth consecutive record month for incoming tourists.
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