Yahoo! News reported on Israel’s most recent efforts to rebrand themselves from a beach tourist destination to a central location for holy pilgrimages. To that end, Israeli tourism officials have introduced a new 40-mile hiking trail in Galilee along which pilgrims can follow in the footsteps of Jesus and the disciples. The trail leads to Tabgha, where Jesus fed the 5,000 with the loaves and the fishes, passes the Mount of Beatitudes, the site where the Sermon on the Mount took place, and ends in Capernaum on the Sea of Galilee. Israel’s Ministry of Tourism says nearly two-thirds of its tourists were Christians in 2010—that’s double the number from 2009. Ministry officials say they hope the trail will increase support of Israel among Christians. The trail will open to the public next month.
