Invitation To Cover - Knesset Speaker And Tourism Minister Will Vote For The Dead Sea In The Finals Of The New7Wonders Of Nature Campaign And Launch The Dead Sea Coin

Online, May 17, 2011 (Newswire.com) - In advance of the finals of the New7Wonders of Nature campaign on 11.11.11 in which the Dead Sea is competing against 27 other finalists, the Knesset Speaker Reuven (Ruby) Rivlin and the Tourism Minister Stas Misezhnikov will launch the new Dead Sea coin minted by the Israel Government Coins and Medals Corporation and vote for the Dead Sea in the online campaign.

The event will take place in the bureau of the Knesset Speaker tomorrow, Monday 16 May at 13:30.

Over a billion people are expected to vote in the campaign, with the lowest point on earth requiring an estimated 300-400 million votes. To this end, the Tourism Ministry is leading a far-reaching NIS 8 million international campaign to promote the Dead Sea's candidacy. It is estimated that a win for the Dead Sea would lead to a significant increase of hundreds of thousands of additional incoming tourists and the creation of thousands of new jobs.

The Knesset Speaker has also joined the campaign and is expected to speak about the Dead Sea in his opening address on Monday for the summer session. According to Rivlin: "This is a significant national challenge, the government has allocated considerable resources and we too, in the Knesset, will do all we can to recruit public opinion in favor of the Dead Sea, based on the understanding that this is also a challenge with real economic ramifications. The Dead Sea is an exceptional part of the world with unique landscapes and characteristics and a leading tourism anchor for Israel. I call on all Knesset members and every citizen to rise to this challenge, to vote and make a difference for the benefit of the Dead Sea as one of the new seven natural wonders of the world - an issue that is beyond any disagreement.'

Tourism Minister Stas Misezhnikov: "There is enormous significance in both economic and image terms for the State of Israel should the Dead Sea win an international campaign with over one billion voters. The Israeli government will work together to promote the Dead Sea win in the six months that remain until the end of the campaign."

Journalists wishing to attend the event should register TODAY to tourism.gov.il@gmail.com with name, GPO no. and media outlet.

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The Dead Sea is one of the finalists in the Seven Natural Wonders of the World campaign.
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