China's first tour group to the Holy Land headed off during the National Day Holiday. The State of Israel opened up its borders to Chinese tourism in September.
 |
|
An Israeli tourism department official (L) welcomes Chinese tourists at the Ben Gurion International airport near Tel Aviv, Israel, Sept. 26, 2008. The first Israel-bound Chinese tour group arrived here Friday. They will visit some famous sites such as Jerusalem, the Dead Sea within the 10-day trip.[Xinhua] |
The first group of Chinese visitors, toured Jerusalem, a holy city for three faiths - Bethlehem, the birthplace of Jesus, and the Mediterranean city of Haifa.
Israel's Ministry of Tourism held a brief welcoming ceremony for the first Chinese tour group. Each traveler was issued a certificate expressing the ministry's thanks. The certificates named the visitors as tourist ambassadors.
Raphael Ben-Hur, Israel Ministry of Tourism, said, "We are excited to have a Chinese tourist group come to Israel. It's a wonderful opportunity for Israel to promote its many attractions. We have been preparing even small details of the visit for a long time. I think our Chinese guests will feel very welcome."
During their ten day's stay in Israel, the Chinese tourists traveled to famed tourist sites and tasted local culinary specialties.
A Chinese tourist said, "We didn't know we are the first group of Chinese tourists to come Israel until we arrived. They've given a lot of attention to our trip and we're very happy with their thoughtful treatment."
Safety issues are a primary concern for the Chinese tourists. Israel's tourism ministry promised to guarantee the safety of the visitors during their stay.
(CCTV.com October 9, 2008)
