OVER 6,000 CHRISTIAN FRIENDS OF IZRAEL WORLDWIDE WILL VOTE FOR THE DEAD SEA IN THE NEW 7 WONDERS OF NATURE CAMPAIGN;
THE VOTE WILL TAKE PLACE DURING THE ANNUAL FEAST OF TABERNACLES CONVENTION HELD BY THE INTERNATIONAL CHRISTIAN EMBASSY JERUSALEM
More than 6,000 Christian friends of Israel from over 100 countries worldwide will vote for the Dead Sea this coming Friday, October 14th, 2011 in the New 7 Wonders of Nature campaign. Minister of Tourism, Stas Misezhnikov, will welcome the thousands of tourists and members of the Christian community worldwide via a special broadcast on channel Visjon Norge, the Norwegian Christian TV channel, which attracts millions of viewers daily.
The thousands of pilgrims, staying in Israel October 11-18, are arriving as part of the annual Feast of Tabernacles which is hosted and organized by the International Christian Embassy in Jerusalem. The convention, which is considered the largest tourism event in Israel, attracts heads of Evangelical communities worldwide, as well as pilgrims from Brazil, the United States, Russia, Australia, Bolivia, Canada, Chile, Austria, India, Thailand, Taiwan, China Hong Kong, the Netherlands, Italy, Nigeria, Switzerland, Finland and Norway. The convention will include visits to religious sites throughout the country, participation in the Jerusalem March (18 October) as well as seminars and lectures on various religious topics.
On Friday, October 14th, 2011, the pilgrims will host a festive event at the Dead Sea, after touring the region. The event will take place on the ground of Ein Gedi Spa at 15:30, during which participants will vote by SMS for the Dead Sea followed by a festive meal and musical celebration. According to the New 7 Wonders of Nature Fund, the Dead Sea is considered a leading candidate with many votes, but will need 350 million votes to win the competition.
The Ministry of Tourism, which plays an active role in the convention each year, will be managing an information booth at the Jerusalem International Convention Center (Binyanei Hauma), handing out flyers and information packages on various sites and attractions in Israel as well as offering assistance to the tourists.
The thousands of pilgrims are expected to stay in Israel for a week, contributing thousands of bednights at hotels into the economy, visiting restaurants and buying local goods at various sites they visit. It is estimated that 25-30 million NIS will be spent in Israel during the week-long event.
Minister of Tourism, Stas Misezhnikov: “I welcome the thousands of Christian tourists arriving in Israel during the holiday of Sukkot. Christian tourism to Israel, in its various denominations, is a key target market for the Ministry of Tourism with significant marketing efforts to promote tourism to Israel. As part of the branding of Israel as the Holy Land with Jerusalem at its center, the Ministry of Tourism is operating in all spheres to make these tourists tourism ambassadors for Israel in their home countries.”
