Surge in tourists to Holy Land

(July 27, 2010) The Catholic Church’s promotion of pilgrimages and relative calm in the Holy Land have contributed in drawing more tourists to the region. In the first six months of 2010, some 1.6 million tourists have visited the Holy Land, a marked increase compared to 2009, and one that Franciscan priest Fr. Pierbattista Pizzaballa, the Custodian of the Holy Land attributes to a variety of factors. The number of tourists is up some 39% from last year, and Fr. Bizzaballa told Vatican Radio that this can be attributed first to vigourous campaigns by episcopal conferences, dioceses, religious, parish priests as well as tour companies. The pilgrims come primarily from the United States, Russia, France, Great Britain, Germany and Italy, but also from Asia. "All these factors together have reawakened interest in the Holy Land,” the Capuchin priest said. The Custodian of the Holy Land expressed satisfaction the many benefits that pilgrims bring to the Holy Land, including "much serenity to the families that in recent years have suffered from the lack of pilgrims." He said it has brought an economic rebirth to the region with new hotels under construction. Relative calm in the area is also brining more tourists to the holy sites, the priest noted. Father Pizzaballa further stated that Pope Benedict XVI's May 2009 pilgrimage to the Holy Land brought a "positive vision" of the region.