Chinese tourists can sign up for tours around Israel. The China-Israel Memorandum of Understanding on tourism came into effect Monday. The first Israel-bound Chinese tour group will depart in two batches from Beijing on September 25th and 28th.

The 80-person group will visit Jerusalem and the Dead Sea during their 10-day trip. The price for the journey is 28-thousand yuan, higher than the price of most trips to the United States.

Israel is preparing for the Chinese tourists, for example, by providing Chinese-language brochures. The local tourism industry has also recruited people who can speak Chinese.

Previously, Chinese tourists could only visit Israel on business visas. Last year, the two countries signed an agreement making Israel an approval destination for Chinese tour groups.

(CCTV September 17, 2008)