Addressing more than 4,000 attendees at the opening ceremony of the National Religious Broadcasters Christian Media Convention (NRB) in Nashville on Wednesday, February 21, Israel’s Minister of Tourism, Haim Katz, extended an invitation calling for an increase in Christian tourism to the country.
“The best way to support Israel is to visit Israel,” said Katz. “The safety of tourists is our top priority, and Israel takes great care regarding the safety of tourists and citizens alike.”
During his visit to the U.S., Israel’s Minister of Tourism is also working to strengthen partnerships with tour operators and opinion leaders in an effort to expand Christian-based tourism to the country. Katz’s agenda includes meetings with TBN, the largest Evangelical broadcast network in the U.S., along with InterNova Travel Group, which has an extensive portfolio of travel brands.
The Ministry of Tourism’s safety commitment is also supported by United Airlines which recently announced that it will resume service between New York/Newark and Tel Aviv beginning March 2 after working closely with U.S. and Israel security experts and government officials to restore vital passenger and cargo service that was suspended following the October 7th attacks. Initial flights on March 2 and 4 will stop in Munich with resumption of daily nonstop service to Tel Aviv starting March 6. No flights are scheduled for March 3 or 5. Israel passed the airline’s mandatory detailed safety analysis ensuring safety for all passengers, pilots, and airline crews.
“Prior to October 7th, Israel was on the brink of surpassing its pre-pandemic tourism levels,” said Eyal Carlin, North American commissioner for the Israel Ministry of Tourism. “The impact of these attacks has been tremendous; however, the desire by Israel’s residents to continue living in the face of this tragedy is palpable–Israelis are resilient. With the announcement of United Airlines resuming service between a major U.S. hub and Tel Aviv, we feel this is a vote of confidence for the region.”
El Al Airlines, Israel’s flag carrier, has offered continued service following the October 7th attacks and plans to increase airlift during the Passover holiday to meet demand for increased arrivals. In addition to an increase in air service, signature events are also resuming following the success of the Dead Sea Marathon on February 2 along with the upcoming 13th annual International Jerusalem Winner Marathon and Tel Aviv Night Run taking place March 8 and April 17 respectively. The 30th annual International Mediterranean Tourism Market will also welcome tourism professionals for a two-day summit on April 3.
