Israel offers free Bethlehem bus

As Israel prepares for the arrival of thousands of holidaymakers over Christmas it has announced a free bus service will run between Jerusalem and Bethlehem.

The shuttle bus will depart every 15-20 minutes from Mar Elias Monastery to the Church of the Nativity in Manger Square and back for 24 hours from midday on December 24.

Israel's Tourism Ministry has said it expects some 75,000 tourists to visit the country this Christmas and around a third of them will be Christian pilgrims.

The ministry believes Israel's tourism industry could set new records this year, with around 3.3 million visitors arriving in the 11 months to the end of November.

In other tourism news from Israel, a website is being launched to showcase the appeal of Tel Aviv-Yafo as a vibrant destination for international travellers.

The site will host imagery, video content and articles of Tel Aviv - known as a "city that never sleeps".

Information will also be on hand for people taking holidays in Tel Aviv, including a detailed events guide and sections on where to eat out, the best nightlife in the city as well as the top cultural sites to help visitors make the most of their city breaks in Tel Aviv.