The State of Travel in the Mideast

Israeltrip Dot Com

My Agency: Israeltrip Dot Com, a Christian company that specializes in Holyland Tours to Israel, sometimes with extensions to Jordan, Greece, Egypt and Italy. We have been in business selling cruises and other travel since 1990 and still work with some groups to other destinations, but mostly we work with church groups traveling to Israel. We are located at 2308 Business Route 20, Belvidere, IL 61008.

Travel Agents vs. Independent Travel:
Clients can take advantage of group pricing through travel agents, and therefore they can get a better price. Also, with a group and guide, clients will see major sites more efficiently and professionally, and they won't miss what they came to see.

The War in Iraq and the Palestinian Conflict:
Both trouble spots affect my clients very much, because the media portrays Israel as constantly fighting and trying to recover from suicide bombers blowing themselves up at random. Also, there is a general feeling of uneasiness about Americans being kidnapped and harmed in the Middle East.

Kind of Clientele:
Most of my clients are Christians who want to see the Holy Sites in Israel, Turkey, Greece, and Italy.

Trends:
Tourism is recovering slightly but not at the same numbers as 1996-1999.

People Should Consider Going: to Israel, as the tourist industry is very well developed there; they love Americans; and there is no better place for Bible Believers.

Focus on One Country: Israel is a perfect country to highlight, and the surrounding countries (Egypt, Jordan) add interest without a lot of extra expense. However, Egypt and Jordan need better protection for their tourists.

Traveling on Land: This is the best way to get the full "flavor" of a country, as compared to cruises that touch a few ports but don't show the country in depth. It depends on each traveler's requirements............

Best time of year to visit the Middle East:
Spring and Fall are best in Israel, because the temperature is moderate, and it isn't crowded, and airfares are lower Nov. 1-March 31.

website: Israeltrip.com

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