Tour agency announces pilgrimage to Israel
Christians in Ghana have been offered an opportunity to trace the footsteps of Jesus Christ and visit religious sites on a pilgrimage to Israel in what is expected to be a lifetime experience that will enable them to appreciate the Bible beyond text and imagination.
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Starting from November, 2013, to January, 2014, One People Travels, a tour operating agency, is organising a nine-day pilgrimage to Israel that seeks to enhance the faith of patrons.
The all-inclusive package of $2,500, comprises flight, airport taxes, visas, accommodation, meals, entrance fees to all sites, transportation in Israel, assistance by licensed tour guides and insurance materials.
“There are no hidden costs. Once you buy the package, you can actually leave your wallet at home,” the Executive Director of One People Travels, Dr Caesar Atuire, promised at the launch of the tour agency in Accra yesterday.
With the endorsement of the Ministry of Tourism, Culture and Creative Arts and the Israeli Embassy in Accra, as well as the collaboration of the Quality Insurance Company (QIC), Stanbic Bank and Graphic Communications Group Limited, One People Travels is set to offer pilgrims a spiritual journey to Israel “with no practical worries.”
Dr Atuire said Christianity was about knowing Jesus Christ and how he lived, and so going on a pilgrimage to Israel would enable Christians to trace the footsteps of Jesus Christ.
The Minister of Tourism, Culture and Creative Arts, Mrs Elizabeth Ofosu-Agyare, who launched One People Travels, said her ministry found the project a welcome addition to the country’s tourism calendar.
She expressed the hope that after Christians had returned from their pilgrimage to Israel, they would also cultivate the habit of visiting some tourist attractions in Ghana.
Mrs Ofosu-Agyare said Ghana was a preferred tourism destination, given its peculiar location in the centre of the world. She also advised One People Travels to endeavour to fulfill all the promises it had made and also ensure that there were no hidden costs in the package it offered.
The Israeli Ambassador to Ghana, Ms Sharon Bar Li, said she was confident about the pilgrimage project because “I am familiar with One People”.
She said pilgrimage was a pure and spiritual leapfrog that helped to reinforce one’s faith, adding that visiting Israel and getting acquainted with the land gave Christianity a physical experience.
Ms Li added that Israel is an island of safety and stability in the Middle East, and invited Ghanaian pilgrims to her country because “it is also your home”.
“I know that Ghanaian Christians are Israel’s truest and unconditional friends,” she remarked, and thanked One People Travels for the initiative to organise pilgrimages for them.
By Kofi Yeboah/Daily Graphic/Ghana
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