By David Dolan
DDolan.com
Despite the fact that fighting is raging in neighboring Syria and tensions remain high with Iran, Israeli officials say tourist visits to Israel continues to blossom. The Israeli public continues to travel quite extensively as well, mainly to relatively close European destinations. Recently the Israeli national carrier, El Al, announced that it will be doubling its flights to and from London this year. Scandinavian airlines said traffic to and from Israel from the many European cities it serves is also going up, causing it to add several additional weekly flights to Tel Aviv. El Al says it will add the Danish capital city, Copenhagen, to its list of destinations later this year.
2012 Tourism Sets All-Time Record
Most foreign tourists travel to the Holy Land to see the country’s many historic biblical sites. In recent years, the Israeli government has been pouring millions of dollars into developing nearly 300 sites all over the small country, many near the Sea of Galilee. Twenty five of the projects are located in the eastern half of Jerusalem and other areas that the Palestinians claim for a future state, prompting protests from some Palestinian leaders.
- Gov’t upgrading, preserving some 300 historic sites • Jerusalem Post
- Finnair to offer flights to Israel • Ynet News
- El Al Israel Airlines increased frequency in its Summer 2013 schedule • Travel Daily News
- Kenya: Israel Wants Tel Aviv-Nairobi Flights Restored • AllAfrica.com
- Israel's largest-ever archaeological exhibit shines light on King Herod • Haaretz
