A Catholic procession on Christmas Eve in Bethlehem (2006). Photo: Darko Tepert.

Israeli Tourism Minister Uzi Landau told Israel Hayom on Monday that he intends to “focus first and foremost on strengthening domestic tourism, and to invest in incoming tourism focusing on Chinese and evangelical target audiences.”

“[Israel is] the cradle of Jewish and Christian civilization,” Landau said.

In Europe, 6 percent of the gross domestic product is generated by incoming tourism, compared with 2.3 percent in Israel, Landau noted.

“This is where the prophets roamed, this is where the Bible was written, this is where some of the extraordinary historical events occurred, and all we are managing to get across to the world is 2.3%? It’s not enough,” he said.