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Eight percent visitors to Israel dropped in 2014

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Jerusalem: Due to Israel’s Gaza war which started during July and continued into the winter, the number of visitors to Israel dropped in 2014 by eight percent.

Some 3.26 million visitors arrived in Israel in 2014, compared with 3.67 million in 2013, according to an annual report released Sunday by the ministry.

However, the number of tourists – visitors who are staying in the country for more than one night – dropped by less than 1 percent compared with 2013, due to a significant increase in the number of tourists during the first half of 2014, as per reported.

Jerusalem – a holy city for Jews, Christians and Muslims – was the top destination for most tourists. The most visited sites were the Western Wall, a holy site revered by Jews as a remnant of the biblical Jewish temple and visited by 74 percent of the tourists, and the Church of the Holy Sepulcher, which was visited by 59 percent.

The year of 2014 was officially expected to be an all-time record year for incoming tourism to Israel.

But the 50-day-long war between Israel and Gaza’s Hamas and a following wave of violence between Arabs and Jews in Jerusalem caused a sharp descent in the number of visitors to the country in the second half of the year.

Director General of the Ministry of Tourism Amir Halevi said that 2014 started with a steep increase in the number of tourists but the Gaza war “halted the momentum”.

He, however, said that recovery is expected in the first half of 2015.

“The 500 million shekel assistance package assembled by the ministry for tourism businesses bolstered the industry, and restored our status as a growth engine that streams tens of billions of shekels into the economy,” he added.

Tourism accounts for about seven percent of Israel’s economy.

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Foodman Vishal Singh Honored for Hunger Free World Mission in Bangkok

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Lucknow: Vishal Singh, a renowned social worker from Lucknow, also known as Foodman, has once again made India proud. He was honored by the Happy Hands Gloves Cooperative Limited Company in Korathai, Thailand, for his work with the Hunger Free World Mission.

The Hunger Free World Mission’s meeting was held in Korathai, Thailand, under Vishal Singh’s leadership. Representatives from several countries, including Mr. Raja Dwivedi (Managing Director of Happy Hands Gloves Limited), Thailand Coordinator Mr. Raja Mishra, and member Mr. Varun Singh, attended the event.

Under Vishal Singh’s leadership, the attendees took a pledge to work together toward creating a hunger-free world.

Speaking on the occasion, Vishal Singh explained that the main goal of the Hunger Free World Mission is social participation. He said the mission is not just about feeding people but also about meeting other basic needs of those who are struggling. The mission focuses on helping families of terminally ill patients in hospitals by providing food and shelter. It also works to fulfill essential needs like education, jobs, and care for the elderly.

For the last 16 years, the Vijay Sri Foundation has been providing free services, benefiting thousands of people. Vishal Singh highlighted that the mission aims to gain global recognition like other organizations such as WHO, WWF, and Red Cross, which work for social causes.

During this meeting, Vishal Singh was appointed as the Chairman of the Hunger Free World Mission by representatives from various countries. They also discussed holding regular meetings in different countries to push the mission forward.

Business tycoon Dr. Abhishek Verma has also supported this humanitarian mission, vowing to promote the idea of “Seva Parmo Dharma” (Service is the highest duty) worldwide. Vishal Singh praised him, stating that people like Dr .Abhishek Verma inspire others to work for the betterment of society.

Recently, Romania’s Ambassador, Mr . Daniela Sezonov Ţane, invited Vishal Singh to the Romanian Embassy in Delhi, where they discussed the mission in detail. Impressed by his humanitarian work, she honored Vishal Singh and invited him to Romania to take the mission forward .

Food man Vishal Singh has been serving the people of India for the past 16 years. Through the Vijay Sri Foundation, he provides free meals to cancer patients & their families ,shelter, and education for women & children along with running free old-age homes in Lucknow.

In addition to his humanitarian work, Vishal Singh also addresses issues like crime and corruption through his role as Chairman of Seva Path Media and Managing Director of Vijay Sri Foundation.

During the COVID-19 pandemic, Vishal Singh and his team worked tirelessly to provide food and help to the needy, including starving children, elderly citizens, and pregnant women. Despite contracting the virus himself, he continued to assist others after his recovery. He even created a life-saving oxygen regulator using household items, which was praised by doctors both in India and abroad.

In his address at the meeting, Vishal Singh spoke about his mission to create a hunger-free world. He pointed out that India’s large population, along with issues like unemployment and poverty, has caused the country to fall on the Hunger Index. He urged people to contribute just one handful of grains daily to help create a hunger-free world.

He concluded by saying that through social participation, we can empower the people around us, meet their basic needs, and work together to build a stronger, more prosperous, and developed society.

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