Stuttgart, Germany - The German religious study-tour operator Biblische Reisen has broadened its selection of trips to Israel in the company's 2009 travel brochure. Interest in travelling to Israel has increased noticeably according to the Stuttgart-based operator's director, Georg Roewekamp.
"We have had 90 inquiries instead of the usual 30 and three groups are taking part in a tour at the same time," says Roewekamp.
Roewekamp believes security concerns prevented many people from making the decision to visit the Holy Land in the past but the mood has changed.
In response, Biblische Reisen is expanding its Israel programme by a third but there is also growing interest in countries such as Jordan and Syria. Lebanon is also enjoying a comeback in the 2009 brochure after a long pause.
The brochure includes educational trips such as a one week visit to "The Land of the Phoenicians" as well as a combined two week visit to Jordan, Syria and Lebanon. Biblische Reisen has dropped tours to Myanmar/Burma, however.
For the first time, the tour operator is organising trips to Ukraine and to Odessa in the Crimea. Japan has also returned as a destination with organised tours to Osaka, Tokyo, Aso National Park, Hiroshima and Nagasaki.
Biblische Reisen has also expanded its palette of tours to eastern Europe to countries such as Bulgaria, Armenia and Georgia.
The brochure also includes new tours in Germany. "Germany is growing in importance as a travel destination," says Roewekamp. One reason for the greater interest is cost: a seven day Germany trip is priced at under 1,000 euros (1,273 dollars).
One of the new tours combines Bavaria's Baroque and Rococo historic buildings with a trip to Murnau which is famous for its link to the Blaue Reiter expressionist movement.
Biblische Reisen has also introduced new tours to its cruise programme which for the first time includes a sailing trip from Mauritius to Egypt. Another addition is a Mediterranean cruise around the Aegean Sea.
However, tours will be slightly more expensive next year:"Prices will go up by about 5 per cent," says Roewekamp.
Biblische Reisen's 2009 brochure contains information on 250 tours to about 45 different countries.
