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Will Jesus save Egypt's struggling tourism industry?

The Egyptian government hopes that highlighting sites surrounding Jesus' flight into Egypt will boost its sagging tourism sector.
A worker rests at The Hanging Church as Egypt's Minister of Antiquities Mamdouh Eldamaty (unseen) tours the grounds, which forms one of the religious communities in Old Cairo, for a tourism development project August 19, 2014. Egypt's tourism revenue dropped by 24.7 percent to around $3 billion in the first half of 2014, the Ministry of Tourism said in a statement. REUTERS/Amr Abdallah Dalsh (EGYPT - Tags: BUSINESS RELIGION TRAVEL) - RTR42Y3N
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The Egyptian government plans to expand its religious tourism map by adding the route that Jesus, Mary and Joseph are believed to have traveled after they fled Palestine. The move comes in an effort to boost an industry that has been hit hard since the 2011 revolution. Tourism Minister Yehia Rashed flew to Rome on May 9 to discuss promotional opportunities involving the holy family's journey with Vatican tourism officials.

In a May 11 statement, Rashed said that eight of 25 historical sites to be included in the tour are ready to receive visitors. The sites include the Church of St. Sergius and the Hanging Church in Old Cairo, St. Mary's Coptic Orthodox Convent in Maadi, the three monasteries of Wadi al-Natrun, the Church of the Blessed Virgin Mary at Jabal al-Tair near Minya, Muharraq Monastery at Mount Koskam and the Holy Virgin Mary Coptic Orthodox Monastery at Mount Durunka in Assiut governorate. According to legend, the holy family made stops or had stays at these places or locations during their exile.

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