Viator.com Launches New Destination — Israel

SAN FRANCISCO, CA and LONDON–(Marketwire – August 25, 2010) –  The team at Viator.com, the leading resource for researching and booking more than 5,500 trip activities and experiences at the best prices, is pleased to announce the addition of Israel to its roster of destinations around the world. Deeply rooted in tradition and religious significance, Israel is also an emerging tourism market, perfect for those seeking religious pilgrimage as well as those looking for leisure, relaxation and luxury.

“There’s been a bit of a void in the online travel market for a comprehensive and reliable resource for tours and activities in Israel, long on Viator’s radar as an emerging and special destination we wanted to connect our customers with,” said Barrie Seidenberg, CEO and president of Viator, Inc. “We spent a good deal of time studying the local tour operators in Jerusalem and Tel Aviv to assemble a diverse group of high-quality experiences that will expose travelers from every corner to Israel’s unique culture, multifaceted history, religious importance and natural beauty.” 

With nearly 30 activities in and around Jerusalem and Tel Aviv, travelers planning a trip to Israel can check out Viator.com to research and book a full itinerary of destination activities that range from religious-focused excursions to healing spa experiences.

• Jerusalem Half-Day Tour from Tel Aviv: Dome of the Rock and Western Wall combines ancient history with spiritual sanctity with visits to the Western Wall (Wailing Wall), the Garden of Gethsemane and the site of Jesus’ Crucifixion at the Church of the Holy Sepulchre.
• Day Tour of Jerusalem and Bethlehem uncovers the roots of different religions and cultures with stops at the Mount of Olives, Dome of the Rock, the Jewish Quarter, the Church of the Nativity and the Mosque of Oman
• Little Town of Bethlehem Half Day Trip from Jerusalem explores the town known as the birthplace of Jesus, tracing the events of the Nativity.
• Nazareth, Tiberias and the Sea of Galilee Day Trip from Jerusalem visits the Holy Land sites of Nazareth, the setting of many New Testament tales, as well as the Sea of Galilee.
• Jerusalem by Night Tour and Tower of David Sound and Light Show from Tel Aviv offers a juxtaposition of the Jaffa Gate and the Citadel illuminated by a modern light show.
• The Best of Both Worlds: Highlights of Israel Day Trip from Tel Aviv: Jerusalem and the Dead Sea discovers the ancient city of Jerusalem, a holy site for many different religions, culminating with a therapeutic spa visit to the Dead Sea.
• 2-Day Best of Israel Tour: Old Jerusalem, Bethlehem, Masada & the Dead Sea combines a day exploring the ancient biblical cities of Jerusalem and Bethlehem with a relaxing trip to Masada before a spot of Dead Sea pampering.

Israel is an amazing destination for travelers seeking to dig deep into history, culture and archaeology, and to encounter the natural wonder of Dead Sea — its surface and shores the Earth’s lowest elevation point on dry land. It also provides a great base to discover other destinations within the Middle East, including the UNESCO world heritage site of Petra.

• City of David and Underground Jerusalem Day Tour visits Mount Zion and the tomb of King, the Hall of the Last Supper, four Sephardic synagogues dating to the 16th century and the City of David.
• Masada and the Dead Sea Day Trip from Tel Aviv discovers some of Israel’s must-see sights including the legendary ruins of Masada and King Herod’s palaces, and the Dead Sea for a therapeutic visit.
• Caeserea, Rosh Hanikra and Acre Day Trip from Tel Aviv explores Israel’s ancient Roman cities including Caesarea (a beautiful fishing port), Haifa and the immaculate Baha’i Gardens, Rosh Hanikra (where white cliffs meet the Mediterranean) and the Crusader underground city at Acre.
• Dead Sea Spa and Wellness Trip from Tel Aviv replenishes the body and rejuvenates the mind with a buoyant float in the mineral and salt rich waters and therapeutic mud treatment
• Petra Day Trip from Tel Aviv provides travelers with the unique opportunity to take a day trip to Jordan and uncover the sights of this spectacular rock-carved city, including the spectacular temple of El-Khazneh, a film location for several Hollywood motion pictures.

In addition to providing consumers with direct access to these many tours and activities in Israel, travel agents can also book any of these activities through Viator’s longstanding agent partners including ARCMarketPlace.com.

For even more inspiration as well as information on special promotions, deals, contests and suggestions, travelers can visit the Viator Travel Blog (http://travelblog.viator.com) as well as Twitter (http://twitter.com/ViatorTravel) and Facebook (http://www.facebook.com/ViatorTours).

About Viator
Viator is the world’s leading online resource for travel experiences, providing access to more than 5,500 tours, attractions and activities in 450-plus destinations in 75 countries. Viator — the Latin word for traveler — offers travelers a one-stop shop to plan, research and book trip activities with helpful resources like nearly 150,000 traveler reviews and photos, star ratings, suggested itineraries and the Viator Travel Blog. Viator’s in-house travel experts have picked respected and trusted local operators to ensure a quality experience, value and service, all backed by Viator’s low-price guarantee. Founded in 1995, Viator sells its products directly to consumers at www.viator.com and through its global network of more than 1,000 affiliates that include major hotel and airline companies, online travel agencies, city-specific sites and more. Through its collection of company operated and affiliated sites, including seven European-language sites, Viator welcomes more than 2.5 million visitors per month. Viator is headquartered in San Francisco with regional offices in Sydney, London and Las Vegas.

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