Tourism in Israel on the rise
By Warren Smith
JERUSALEM-Tourism in Israel is on the rise, and evangelical Christians are a significant reason why.
"Evangelicals make up an important part of the overall picture," said Paul Manor, the director of Hosting Operations for the Israel Ministry of Tourism (IMOT).  IMOT hosted a group of journalists from the Evangelical Press Association (EPA) June 3 to June 11.  The ten journalists on the tour represented publications with a combined monthly circulation of almost 400,000 mostly evangelical readers.  The tour is part of an ongoing effort by IMOT to promote tourism among evangelicals.
It's easy to see why evangelicals are attracted to the country.  Israel is where Jesus spent almost all of his life, so it is possible for Christians to "walk where Jesus walked."  Students of scripture are quick to point out that once you have seen such places as Capernaum, Bethsaida, and the Mount of Olives, they are no longer words on the page, but vivid mental pictures. 
"Once you've been to Israel, you'll never read the Bible in quite the same way again," said Dr. Barry Leventhal, a professor at Southern Evangelical Seminary, who often leads trips to the country.
Also, evangelicals, for theological, historical, and cultural reasons, are supporters of Israel.  "Evangelical Christians have been a strong voice for Israel in the United States," said Dwight Widaman, publisher of the Kansas City MetroVoice and one of the organizers of the EPA trip. 
There are other reasons to come to Israel.  As international travel goes, Israel is convenient for Americans.  English is a required language in the schools, so most Israelis are fluent.  Most roads are excellent, with road signs in English - as well as Hebrew and Aramaic.  Because of kosher requirements, cleanliness standards often exceed those in America.  U.S. dollars are accepted at many retail outlets.  The semi-arid climate, with little rain, lots of sunshine, and moderate temperatures, takes the complexity out of packing for an extended trip.
"In terms of climate and ease of travel, Israel is a lot like areas in the southwestern United States," said Lamar Keener, the publisher of the Christian Examiner newspapers and the current president of the EPA.
All of these advantages are adding up to a possible record year for tourism in Israel.  Israel had a record 2.4-million visitors in 2000.  But a slowing economy in Europe and the U.S. -- and violence in Israel in 2001 and 2002 -- caused visits in the country to plummet.  A rebound began in 2003, and 2006 was on a track to once again crack the 2-million visitor mark - until the war with Lebanon broke out.  This year, however, with relative peace in the region and a steadily improving economy, many in the industry say that 2007 could break or come close to previous records.
Evangelicals are not, of course, the only component to Israeli tourism.  Catholic pilgrimages and Jewish tours also play significant roles.  Israel has more museums per capita than any nation in the world, and literally thousands of archeological sites, so educational tours are also common.
"But we love evangelicals," said IMOT's Paul Manor.  "They bring not only their dollars, but a love for Israel, and they go home and help us tell our story to the world.  That's important to us."
Warren Smith is the publisher of the Evangelical Press News Service and "The Charlotte World."  He wrote this story while traveling with the EPA media tour in Israel.