Israel is inviting tourists to retrace the footsteps of the Virgin Mary as part of a growing campaign to entice Christian pilgrims to the Holy Land.

The tourism ministry is helping holiday firms plan pilgrimages to sites where the mother of Jesus Christ lived and travelled. They include her birthplace near Nazareth, as well as Mary's Spring and the Tomb of the Virgin near Jerusalem.

Officials said they hope to encourage return visits by Christians who have already made pilgrimages to sites travelled by Jesus. In 2010, 69% of Israel's almost 3.5 million tourists were Christians.

The itinerary - called "In the Footsteps of the Virgin Mary" - will also be translated into Spanish, French, Italian, Polish and Portuguese.

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