Commercial Resources  
Holy Land Alternatives     
Travel Agents
There are a number of travel agencies in the United States that are prepared to help you plan an alternative trip, IF YOU ASK FOR IT.  Some ideas are below.  Be sure to say that you want to engage in alternative travel and meet Christians (as well as Muslims and Jews) while you are there.  Travel agents in the USA can work with travel agents in Palestine to arrange meetings, speakers, and church visits.
Group Travel Directors
2000 West 98th Street
Minneapolis, MN 55431-2593
Tel: 612-881-7811 or 800-747-2255; Fax: 612-881-6276; Email: groups@gtd.org
MTS (also known as Menno)
124 East Main Street, 4th floor
Ephrata, PA 17522
Tel: 717-733-4131 or 800-418-2929; website: www.mtstravel.com
(Lindy Whitman, a specialist in Middle East travel, can be reached at extension 307 or by Email at lindyw@mtstravel.com)  
Also has offices in Bloomfield, NJ, Colorado Springs, CO, Claremont, CA, Wheaton, IL, and Jacksonville, FL

All World Travel/United Tours (works with Disciples of Christ)
6050 E. 10th Street
Indianapolis, IN 46219
Tel: 317-359-8255 or 888-359-3758; Fax: 317-359-2800;
Travel Connection; attention Kristin Konz (works with Reformed Church in America)
1121 Main St.
Hull, Iowa 51239
Tel: 712-439-1146 or 800-657-4323; Fax: 712-439-2784
Heritage Tours, Inc.
2520 Rockerfeller Suite#1
Everett, WA 98201
Tel: 800-332-9858 or 425-252-6994; Email: heritage@premier1.net
Biblical Sites International, Inc.
10 Park Place
Morristown, NJ 07960-7101
Tel: 888-752-4253; 973-359-4100; Fax: 973-359-4104; Email: biblicalsites@nac.net
Way To Go Travel
4181 Chevy Chase Drive
LaCanada, CA 91011
Tel. 818-952-3179; Fax: 818-952-3178; Email: travel@waytogo.tv  or way2gotravel@worldnet.att.net
Several travel agents in East Jerusalem and the West Bank have some experience in alternative travel but you will still have to demand the kinds of speakers, visits, etc. that you want from some of them.
Albina Tours: tel: 972-2-628-3397; Fax: 972-2-628-1215; Email: albina@netvision.net.il
    Works with McCabe in the United Kingdon for church travel. 
Alternative Tourism Group: tel: 972-2-277-2151; Fax: 972-2-277-2211; Email: atg@p-ol.com
    Located in Beit Sahour, West Bank and can arrange home stays

Guiding Star Agency tel: 972-2-627-3150; Fax: 972-2-637-3147; Email: guidingstar@guidingstar.ltd.com
    Also works with youth conferences
Near East Travel (also known as NET): tel: 972-2-628-2515; Fax: 972-2-628-2415; Email: net@netvision.net.il
      Largest agent in area
Shepherd's Tours; tel: 972-2-628-4121; Fax: 972-2-628-0251; Email: shepherd@baraka.org
    Works with several groups in Palestine as official travel agent for conferences
Sinbad Tours: tel: 972-2-627-2165; Fax: 972-2-627-2169; Email: sinbad@palnet.com
    Has a staff member who specializes in arranging alternatives
United Travel: tel: 972-2-627-1247; Fax: 972-2-583-6190; Email: unidas@palnet.com
Universal Tourist Agency: tel: 972-2-628-4383; Fax: 972-2-626-4448; Email: uta@palnet.com
For advice on how to work with your travel agent or tour guide click here on travel agents
Hotels
Lists of hotels in East Jerusalem and the West Bank can be accessed through www.Palestinehotels.com.   They do not include all of the church related hostels which can be found on the Christian Information Center website.  To access information on Christian guesthouses, sign on to www.Christusrex.org; click on Christian Information Center; click on Christian guesthouses (under living section)
Restaurants
There is no complete list of restaurants on websites although there is an excellant list in the book, Passia Diary 2001.  The diary is published every year and is available in Palestinian bookstores in East Jerusalem.  Some of my personal favorites include:
    In Jerusalem:
Antonio's (Italian) at the Ambassador Hotel in Sheikh Jarrah
Armenian Tavern in the Old City on Armenian Orthodox Patriarchate Road
Askandinya on Shimon Hatzadik in Sheikh Jarrah
Az-Zahra on Az-Zahra Street
Kan Zaman in the Jerusalem Hotel off Nablus Road
Notre Dame across from New Gate
    In the West Bank
Al-Bardaumi in Ramallah (especially in the garden)
Dolphin on Manger Street in Bethlehem (fish)
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