Changes

==Tourism History and Activity==

==Tourism History and Activity==

Prior to the establishment of the State of Israel in 1948, tourism could be characterized as primarily pilgrimage. Pilgrims, Christians in the main, had been coming to the Holy Land to visit the sites associated with the life of Jesus Christ. These sites were, by and large, under the custodianship of the major Western Catholic and Eastern Orthodox Churches -  Roman Catholic, Greek and Russian Orthodox, and Armenian were the most prominent. These churches, with the Anglican, had, during Ottoman times, gained ownership or control of key tracks of land on which they had erected buildings to house their respective pilgrims. Even today, these Churches still own these properties, leasing them out to the Israeli Government. The Russian Compound in the center of West Jerusalem which is now leased by the Russian Orthodox Church (Moscow Patriarchate) to the Israeli government for the use of the  Central Jerusalem Police Station, the Circuit Court and other government ministries, was, in the late 1800's, the center for Russian Otrthodox pilgrimage.. Likewise, the Greek Orthodox Church owns the land on which the Knesset (Parliament) and the Presidential House are situated.   

Prior to the establishment of the State of Israel in 1948, tourism could be characterized as primarily pilgrimage. Pilgrims, Christians in the main, had been coming to the Holy Land to visit the sites associated with the life of Jesus Christ. These sites were, by and large, under the custodianship of the major Western Catholic and Eastern Orthodox Churches -  Roman Catholic, Greek and Russian Orthodox, and Armenian were the most prominent. These churches, with the Anglican, had, during Ottoman times, gained ownership or control of key tracks of land on which they had erected buildings to house their respective pilgrims. Even today, these Churches still own these properties, leasing them out to the Israeli Government. The Russian Compound in the center of West Jerusalem which is now leased by the Russian Orthodox Church (Moscow Patriarchate) to the Israeli government for the use of the  Central Jerusalem Police Station, the Circuit Court and other government ministries, was, in the late 1800's, the center for Russian Otrthodox pilgrimage. Likewise, the Greek Orthodox Church owns the land on which the Knesset (Parliament) and the Presidential House are situated.   

With the rise of the State of Israel, pilgrimage gradually gave place to a more general interest in Israel as a nation and as a people - "tourism" as we know it today. With the influx of Protestant visitors from all over the world conversant with the Bible, the Land as a whole and the places "where Jesus walked"  began to attract attention along with the traditional holy sites and churches . The rise of archeology and the intensification of the discovery of the actual sites mentioned in the Bible, with, now, the support of the Israeli Department of Antiquities, broadened "pilgrimage" into "tourism". People now wanted to see the places that they had read about in the Bible, and now, thanks to the archaeological endeavor, had been made accessible."Support for Israel" played its part, too, as greater numbers of Evangelical Churches, along with the Jewish communities of the Diaspora, saw that being faithful to the God of Israel entailed faithfulness also to the new nation of Israel, itself a fulfillment of prophesy. And it is so today. In the times of the the most turmoil  and threat of war and terrorism, such as during the two [[Intifada]]s, and the most recent "[[Second Lebanon War]]", it has been the Evangelical Churches which have enabled the continuance of the Israel tourist industry.

With the rise of the State of Israel, pilgrimage gradually gave place to a more general interest in Israel as a nation and as a people - "tourism" as we know it today. With the influx of Protestant visitors from all over the world conversant with the Bible, the Land as a whole and the places "where Jesus walked"  began to attract attention along with the traditional holy sites and churches. The rise of archeology and the intensification of the discovery of the actual sites mentioned in the Bible, with, now, the support of the Israeli Department of Antiquities, broadened "pilgrimage" into "tourism". People now wanted to see the places that they had read about in the Bible, and now, thanks to the archaeological endeavor, had been made accessible. "Support for Israel" played its part, too, as greater numbers of Evangelical Churches, along with the Jewish communities of the Diaspora, saw that being faithful to the God of Israel entailed faithfulness also to the new nation of Israel, itself a fulfillment of prophesy. And it is so today. In the times of the the most turmoil  and threat of war and terrorism, such as during the two [[Intifada]]s, and the most recent "[[Second Lebanon War]]", it has been the Evangelical Churches which have enabled the continuance of the Israel tourist industry.

Tourism today, cresting on an over 20% increase in 2007 than in 2006, is a rapidly developing movement still holding its place, having displaced the diamond cutting industry, and now second to the "High Tech" industry in providing revenue for the State of Israel. Muslim nations still not having diplomatic relations with State of Israel, such as Malaysia and Indonesia, now have a steady stream of tourism and it is not infrequent that Israeli tour guides learn their languages. But there too, it is largely the small evangelical minorities of these nations, however great the numbers, that are providing the tourists. Some Nigerian states are now almost completely sponsoring their Christians, Catholic and Protestant, making it possible for them to make pilgrimage to Israel, just as other Nigerian states are sponsoring their people for the [[Haj]] to Mecca. The Jewish communities of the United States bring large numbers of their youth to Israel through the "BirthRight" program enabling them to "taste" Israel and in the process, to do as the other tourists do -- tour Israel. Russians are now a common sight in the tourist hotels. This time, they come as curious tourists, not as Orthodox (in the main) pilgrims, and are guided by Russian speaking new immigrants to Israel, driven in buses owned by other Russian new Israelis. Tours to Israel, nowadays, are organized and promoted not only by the traditional tourist agencies abroad, but large churches and well known Christian pastors and "media magnets" are the new tourism promoters and organizers. It is considered now as part of their ministry.

Tourism today, cresting on an over 20% increase in 2007 than in 2006, is a rapidly developing movement still holding its place, having displaced the diamond cutting industry, and now second to the "High Tech" industry in providing revenue for the State of Israel. Muslim nations still not having diplomatic relations with State of Israel, such as Malaysia and Indonesia, now have a steady stream of tourism and it is not infrequent that Israeli tour guides learn their languages. But there too, it is largely the small evangelical minorities of these nations, however great the numbers, that are providing the tourists. Some Nigerian states are now almost completely sponsoring their Christians, Catholic and Protestant, making it possible for them to make pilgrimage to Israel, just as other Nigerian states are sponsoring their people for the [[Haj]] to Mecca. The Jewish communities of the United States bring large numbers of their youth to Israel through the "BirthRight" program enabling them to "taste" Israel and in the process, to do as the other tourists do -- tour Israel. Russians are now a common sight in the tourist hotels. This time, they come as curious tourists, not as Orthodox (in the main) pilgrims, and are guided by Russian speaking new immigrants to Israel, driven in buses owned by other Russian new Israelis. Tours to Israel, nowadays, are organized and promoted not only by the traditional tourist agencies abroad, but large churches and well known Christian pastors and "media magnets" are the new tourism promoters and organizers. It is considered now as part of their ministry.