Pilgrimage trips from Tanzania to Christian Holy Land to start January

Starting January 2006, Tanzanian travelers will manage for the first time to make nine-day monthly trips to the holy cities of Jerusalem, Bethlehem, Galilee and other Christian historical sites of Israel.

First in Tanzania’s travel trade industry, trips to the Christian Holy Land of Israel will cost US$1,500 to cover a return ticket, accommodation and airport transfer in Israel.

Israel is the upcoming source of tourists visiting Tanzania after successful tourist marketing campaigns in Tel Aviv through the Tanzania Tourist Board (TTB) and Tanzania’s consulate there.

Trips to the Christian holy cities cover most places where Jesus Christ spent his days and life including Jerusalem, Joppa – where prophet Jonah boarded a ship to Tarshishi, Caesarea – where prophet Paul was imprisoned, Nazareth – where Jesus spent his early years.

Other holy places falling under the just released 2006 itinerary are Capernaum, Tiberias, the city of Jerusalem, Golan Heights, Judean Hills, Galilee, Negrev and the coastal plain of the Red Sea.

Seen to be cheaper, the cost of each monthly trip to Israel would help boost Tanzania’s tourism and travel industry among Israelis who mostly visit Kenya and Ethiopia, but this time through an exchange programs between Israel and Tanzania.

Christian folks in Tanzania have expressed during Christmas their future plans to visit the holy cities in response to the frequent calls made by the late Pope John Paul II arguing Catholics and other Christians the world over to come up and visit Israel.

Trips to Israel are the most exciting tailor made travels attracting many Tanzanians and foreigners working in Tanzania because are much more affordable to most travelers as compared to other trips outside the African continent.

Generally, airfares from Tanzania to Europe and Asia, the nearest continents, are higher and only affordable to senior citizens, diplomats and government officials.

It costs not less than US$4,000 for a single Tanzanian to make a week-long trip to European attractive sites in a week-long itinerary, the cost which is not affordable to African holiday-makers outside their continent.

By Apolinari Tairo

DAR ES SALAAM, Tanzania (eTurboNews)

December 29, 2005   Posted in: Africa