25,000 tourists to participate in eastern christmas eve

Minister of Tourism and Antiquities, Rola Ma'aya said that 25,000 tourists will participate tonight in reviving the Eastern Christmas Eve in Bethlehem.She said that most of the tourists have come from Russia, Greece and Cyprus, stressing that this is a clear indication on the recovery of the tourism sector during the Christmas holidays. She added that this would have a positive impact on the economic situation and will reduce the rate of unemployment in Bethlehem.Ma'aya pointed out that tourism will be developed and revived if the Israeli occupation ends, and with the establishing of large tourism projects, adding that this depends on the security situation in the Palestinian territories.The number of tourists in 2013 has risen by 14%, which means that two and a half million tourists entered the Palestinian territories during the year, Ma'aya revealed.She added, the tourist facilities have seen a clear development in 2013, seen by the increase of the number of hotels which reached 46 in the cities of Bethlehem, Beit Sahour and Beit Jala. Eight hotels are still under construction in the three cities, backed up by investment from the private sector.