English 中文网 漫画网 爱新闻iNews 翻译论坛
中国网站品牌栏目(频道)
当前位置: Language Tips > Normal Speed News VOA常速

Holy Land enjoys record year of tourism in 2010

[ 2011-01-05 10:44]     字号 [] [] []  
免费订阅30天China Daily双语新闻手机报:移动用户编辑短信CD至106580009009

Holy Land enjoys record year of tourism in 2010

The Holy Land enjoyed a flood of visitors last year, which benefited Israelis and Palestinians alike.

It was a record year for tourism in Israel thanks to a lull in violence. There were 3.45 million visitors in 2010, 14 percent more than the previous record two years ago.

Mark Feldman, who heads the Israeli travel agency Zion Tours, says tourism is booming.

"More and more flights... that's the biggest reason we are breaking three million for the first time," said Feldman. "We have charter flights from London, from Copenhagen, all over. We have conferences, congresses, delegations. It's bringing in $20 billion of revenue."

Most of the visitors were Jews and Evangelical Christians. Some 625,000 Americans came, more than any other country.

Richard Martin of Atlanta, Georgia said he decided to make a pilgrimage to the Holy Land, because the security situation has improved.

"It's wonderful being in Israel, just knowing that you're in the place where Jesus walked and lived and ministered for the three years. And we feel perfectly safe," said Martin.

Many Christian tourists are also visiting two biblical towns under Palestinian control, Bethlehem and Jericho, both of which welcomed a record number of people in 2010. Some 1.5 million tourists visited Jesus' traditional birthplace in Bethlehem, 50 percent more than the previous year.

Bethlehem businessman Ibrahim Salah says it is a boost to the Palestinian economy.

"We want business," said Salah. "This is what we want, you know, to bring food to the table to our children and our families. I mean when you have lots of people then usually you have good business."

But the boom in tourism is fragile, especially because the Middle East peace process is deadlocked over Israel's expansion of Jewish settlements. Israelis and Palestinians are well aware that in the recent past, eruptions of violence have scared the tourists away.

evangelical: of or belonging to a Christian group that emphasizes the authority of the Bible and the importance of personal salvation through faith 基督教福音派的

Related stories:

Thousands of pilgrims celebrate Christmas in Bethlehem

Madonna on Holy Land pilgrimage

Easter celebrations peaceful in holy land

Archaeologists uncover 'oldest church' in holy land

(来源:VOA 编辑:崔旭燕)

 
中国日报网英语点津版权说明:凡注明来源为“中国日报网英语点津:XXX(署名)”的原创作品,除与中国日报网签署英语点津内容授权协议的网站外,其他任何网站或单位未经允许不得非法盗链、转载和使用,违者必究。如需使用,请与010-84883631联系;凡本网注明“来源:XXX(非英语点津)”的作品,均转载自其它媒体,目的在于传播更多信息,其他媒体如需转载,请与稿件来源方联系,如产生任何问题与本网无关;本网所发布的歌曲、电影片段,版权归原作者所有,仅供学习与研究,如果侵权,请提供版权证明,以便尽快删除。
 

关注和订阅

人气排行

翻译服务

中国日报网翻译工作室

我们提供:媒体、文化、财经法律等专业领域的中英互译服务
电话:010-84883468
邮件:translate@chinadaily.com.cn