N a z a r e t h – Tourism in Israel is booming. In 2010, 3.5 million visitors came, more than ever before in a single year. That’s what the 140 attendees of the European Baptist Federation (EBF) Council in Nazareth heard from Uri Sharon (Jerusalem), marketing specialist for the religious tourism department of the Israeli Ministry of Tourism, on September 22. One third of the tourists came on a pilgrimage, with the express desire to seek out historical places mentioned in the Bible. Most of the tourists were Americans, followed by French, English, and German. Most visitors expressed overall satisfaction with their trip. In surveys, their evaluation of their experiences in the Holy Land rated an average of 4.5 out of 5 possible points. Pilgrims especially connected their travels with spiritual experiences, remembered long after their trip to Israel. In addition, over 8,000 state certified tourist guides saw to it that their trip to Israel was unforgettable. Germans stand out among all visitors because of one particular feature, Sharon reported to the EBPS. They are the only nation from which over half of tourists have travelled to Israel more than once. All travelers agreed that they felt they could travel very safely through the land. This experience contradicts frequent headlines in the world press. Those who have had such special experiences are, on the whole, “good ambassadors for Israel”. Sharon also appealed to the Baptists to come again, “and not alone, but with a tour group”.