NEW YORK, Feb. 10, 2006
Rest, Relaxation And Religion
Turn Your Vacation Into An Experience For Body And Soul
-
Play CBS Video Video Faith-Based Vacations Though it's still winter, some people are already planning their summer trips. For many Americans, vacation is now about more than rest and relaxation; it's about religion, too. Debbye Turner reports.
-
In The Spotlight Smart Traveler Video Archive: Avoiding travel scams, getting the best excursion deals and more trip tips.
-
Photo Essay Homeward Bound Weather made travel a challenge for many across the U.S. as they wrapped up the Thanksgiving holiday.
Faith-based travel is turning into a booming business. A rafting trip on the Colorado River describes the Grand Canyon from a creationist perspective, for instance. A tour of Central American can turn into a volunteer mission. And a vacation in Israel can be a study tour instead.
The Early Show correspondent Debbye Turner checked out some of these faith-based vacation sites around the world, starting with a visit to the Holy Land Experience, a biblically-themed park in Orlando, Fla.
Turner visited the broadcast to share some of her discoveries and says there are indications that these faith-based destinations are getting more popular. In fact, she says, U.S. evangelical groups are negotiating with Israel to build a Christian theme park by the Sea of Galilee.
"What most people are, especially now, experiencing and wanting is a balance between traditional sightseeing and faith based travel," Kevin Wright, religious tour director of Globus Tours told Turner. "So when they go to Italy, although they want to see the Vatican, they want to experience some nice Italian meals."
To explore some options for faith-based travel plans, check out the following web sites.
www.demossnewspond.com/tmc
www.globusfaith.com
www.theholylandexperience.com
www.family.org
www.goisreal.com
www.see-jordan.com
www.egypttourism.org
www.italiantourism.com
www.greekembassy.org
www.christiantravelfinder.com
www.jp2cc.org
©MMVI, CBS Broadcasting Inc. All Rights Reserved.
CBSNews.com On Digg
Gen. Ray Odierno, head of multinational forces in Iraq, on progress there and plans for Afghanistan.
