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Residents Of Bethlehem Struggling With Few Tourists For Christmas

by | Wed, Dec 1 2021

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A month before Christmas many residents of Bethlehem are in financial crisis, according to a Christian charity.

‘Friends of the Holy Land’ says almost 40% of the city’s families are buying groceries on credit or relying on food parcels.

Most of the population in the birthplace of Jesus rely on tourism for income, but foreign pilgrims have been absent during the pandemic.

Two winters ago, Bethlehem had 3.5 million visitors. This year, there’s just a trickle of international tourists.

Christmas is traditionally the time when local businesses make most of their annual income.

Brendan Metcalfe from ‘Friends of the Holy Land’ told Premier Christian News that despite Israel recently reopening to overseas tourists, most won’t return until the middle of next year.

Bethlehem’s annual Christmas market and tree-lighting ceremony will resume in December after being cancelled last year.