Dolores Perez Frias is the director of Israel Tourism in Spain and Portugal. She encourages returning to the land of Jesus, a trip that can be done safely and without the need to present diagnostic tests for COVID or a vaccination certificate. “Israel is a unique destination for parishioners who have been looking forward to returning to or visiting the Holy Sepulcher for the first time, walking the Via Dolorosa or reaching the Galilee region with so many holy places of interest,” she says.
QUESTION.- It is often said that faith moves mountains. Does it also move tourism in these post-pandemic times?
RESPONSE.- Without a doubt. After a long time without being able to travel or doing it with restrictions, although it is understandable that there were, people are eager to recover the trips they wanted to do before the pandemic. And, of course, his long-awaited trip to the Holy Land of Israel is closely linked to faith, mainly Christians and also Jews with an increase in Muslims after the signing of the Abraham Agreement.
A few months ago, when we were open only to groups in Israel, Christian pilgrims were among the first to return to the country. And they have not stopped doing it, especially now that we are open to everyone, vaccinated or not, and without PCR.
Israel is a unique destination for parishioners who have been looking forward to returning to or visiting the Holy Sepulcher for the first time, walking the Via Dolorosa or reaching the Galilee region with its many holy places of interest.
Q.- To what extent are the health restrictions imposed during the pandemic affecting the way of living such a special trip as a pilgrimage to the Holy Land? Have the visits to the Holy Places lost warmth and spiritual quality or, precisely because there are fewer people, have they gained in depth?
R.- The recovery in the number of pilgrims is being constant and I dare to say that in the last quarter of this year we could close it with figures similar to those obtained in the same period of 2019. The volunteers who usually collaborate with the different churches are returning to the welcome of pilgrims and that is important for the local Christian communities. As I said before, everyone, whether vaccinated or not, can enter Israel, without the need to take any tests. The only requirement is to fill out an online form, a procedure that takes no more than five minutes, and travel insurance with COVID coverage.
For almost two years, only local Christians visited the holy places while Israelis and residents came to visit them for the first time. A positive part of the pandemic for Israelis is that they have been able to learn more about Christianity in its different denominations.
Warmth lives in people and there is a lot of that in the Holy Land. After having passed the worst moments of the pandemic, now tourists and locals are excited, happy and grateful to finally be there, feeling the devotion and spirituality that a country like Israel offers.
The Bible, a ‘must’ for pilgrimage
Q.- Is it necessary to know the Bible to get the most out of a trip of these characteristics?
R.- I would say that it is much better to prepare the trip with time and the Bible in hand. And not only the New Testament, but also the Old. The latter helps to better understand the Jewish traditions that marked the life of Jesus before beginning his ministry. It is found that there is a wide and surprisingly rich bridge between Judaism and Christianity.
When the pilgrim reads the Bible after his trip, he will discover nuances as a result of what he learned and lived there and also thanks to the explanations of the guide and the religious who accompanied him and who are highly prepared.
Not knowing the Bible is unthinkable for a trip of this type. In fact, if I didn’t know her, I might not travel on a pilgrimage. But if someone did, or if someone with little knowledge of the Bible travels to the holy places of Israel, the experience will not leave him indifferent. I have lived it many times and with people of non-Christian, agnostic or atheist beliefs.
Q.- Why is Israel prepared to welcome pilgrims to its land?
R.- Israel is a unique destination to feel the weight of its spirituality and strengthen the faith of each pilgrim. We are aware of this and our maxim is to take care of all those small details within our reach and possibilities as the Ministry of Tourism, which has a specific religious department. Let this example serve: a few weeks ago, 17 new kilometers of the Sendero de Emaús were inaugurated; or we can also say that the Via Dolorosa in Jerusalem is now fully accessible for people with reduced mobility. This is the result of investments of various origins that have been made to face what we want to happen: that many pilgrims come to know -or to know again- and feel Israel.
Dolores Pérez Frías: “Warmth lives in people and there is a lot of that in the Holy Land”