Despite an unusually dramatic year, the total number of overnight stays in Israeli hotels in 2011, by both foreign and Israeli tourists, was 21.9 million -- similar to 2010. The number of foreign tourist stays totaled some 10 million, as in 2010. Hotel Association President Ami Federman says that it's a nice accomplishment that they have maintained stability in the number of hotel stays and occupancy in a year of turbulences and crises.

Heavy snows shut down ski slopes at a chilly, 1-degree-Celsius Mount Hermon on Sunday, where snow levels reached 130 centimeters on the higher peak and 95 centimeters on its lower portion. Snowstorms also hit the Golan Heights forcing authorities to shut down area schools. The area expects to see cloudy but slightly warmer weather conditions in the coming days. The Israel Electric Company called on the population to limit the use of electrical appliances on Sunday evening as it expects energy usage to be high due to the cold weather.

Israel's relations with Turkey may have reached a historic low following the expulsion of the Israeli ambassador from Ankara, but Turkey still plans to take part in a tourism fair scheduled to be held in Tel Aviv next month. The international tourism fair -- held annually at Tel Aviv's Exhibition Grounds -- is sponsored by the Tourism Ministry, Israel Hotel Association and El Al Airlines.

Israel's LGBT community has a reason to be proud: It has officially been proclaimed the best gay travel destination of 2011. In a world-wide survey by GayCities.com and American Airlines, 43 percent of voters cast their ballot in favor of the White City, followed by New York City with 14 per cent. About 5,000 gay tourists were recorded as visiting Tel Aviv last June for the annual Gay Pride Parade -- 25 percent more than in 2010. Now that it's been voted best city, Tel Aviv can probably expect even more this June.

A 1,500-year-old seal with the image of the seven-branched Temple Menorah has been discovered near the city of Acre. The ceramic stamp, which dates from the Byzantine period in the 6th century CE, was found during ongoing Israel Antiquities Authority excavations at Horbat Uza, east of Acre, which are being undertaken before the construction of the Acre-Carmiel railroad track. A number of stamps bearing an image of a menorah are known from different collections.

Hollywood actress Natalie Portman ended her latest visit to Israel on Monday, after touring the Holy Land for almost a week. Portman, who was born in Jerusalem as Natalie Hershlag, arrived in the country last week accompanied by her fiancé Benjamin Millepied and her six-month-old son Aleph. One of the goals of the visit was to show her new baby to her many relatives in Israel. During their visit, they toured the area next to their Jerusalem hotel, The King David, as well as the Dead Sea and Tel Aviv. Portman was often seen sitting in cafés in the Israeli capital.

Centuries after devout Christians embarked on drawn-out and arduous journeys to the Holy Land, a very unique crusade will reach Israel this week. Four Christians from Austria and Switzerland - two men and two women -- left Switzerland last June with the goal of crossing 4,300 kilometers by foot until they reach Israel. For seven months the four pilgrims marched in the sweltering heat and freezing cold, bearing it all for the sake of reaching the Holy Land in time for Christmas.

The Israel Ministry of Tourism launched its new advertising campaign, "You'll Never be the Same - Come Find the Israel in You," last month in Brazil. The campaign marks Israel's first in Brazil, and will include two-by-seven-inch print and digital ads appearing in leisure, Evangelical Christian and Catholic travel media, as part of a $125,000 strategic work plan developed by Haim Gutin, Israel commissioner for Tourism, North and South America, and other officials.

Richard Branson, the British business magnate and chairman of the Virgin Group, was in Israel this week to attend the Bezeq Expo communications conference. One of his businesses is Virgin Galactic, the first commercial space travel firm in the world, which plans to offer suborbital space trips to the general public.

Jerusalem's King David Hotel has been named by Fodor's as one of the top 100 hotels in the world for 2011 and one of the top 12 "iconic hotels". Fodor's has some 700 researchers and experts, and every year ranks the world's top 100 hotels in eight different categories. The iconic hotels category, called "Grande Dame", includes hotels with unusual history and service. The King David Hotel, a member of the Leading Hotels of the World chain, has 233 rooms, including 42 special luxury rooms and suites, a presidential suite and a royal suite.

Israel is the third most expensive country in the world when it comes to hotel rates. Jerusalem is the 10th costliest city in the five-star hotels category. The Hotel Price Index (HPI) is an extensive survey based on reservations in more than 140,000 hotels in major city destinations across the world. According to the report, the first half of the year recorded a 3% increase in hotel rates worldwide compared to the same period in 2010.

Two delegations from Hollywood are visiting Israel to learn about the Israeli-Palestinian conflict, one comprised of actors and another mainly featuring directors. Today, both groups will meet with President Shimon Peres.

Iranians traveling to Israel could go to prison for up to five years instead of only three months, after Iran's parliament revised an existing ban for such trips. The measure reflects Tehran's security concerns over archenemy Israel. Iran claims to have dismantled several purported Israeli spy rings in recent years and arrested Iranians with alleged links to Mossad. Iranian state TV on Monday reported that parliament passed a new amendment, expanding the current prison term for travel to Israel to between two and five years.

According to a list of provisional results released on Friday, The Dead Sea was not among the winners in the New 7 Wonders of Nature contest despite a high profile campaign by the Israeli government. Among the winners, were the Amazon of South America, Halong Bay of Vietnam, Iguazu Falls of Argentina and Brazil, Jeju Island of South Korea, Komodo of Indonesia, Puerto Princesa Underground River of the Philippines and Table Mountain of South Africa. The Tourism Ministry led a comprehensive public relations campaign to popularize the Dead Sea, and in May, the cabinet approved a 8.75 million she

A Continental Airlines Boeing 777 aircraft made an emergency landing at Ben-Gurion International Airport on Wednesday after pilots noticed smoke coming from the baggage compartment after takeoff. The U.S.-bound plane, with about 280 passengers on board, returned to Ben-Gurion and made a safe landing. A passenger on the plane said that shortly after takeoff the flight crew informed the passengers that smoke had been identified as coming from the baggage compartment and that the plane would be returning to Ben-Gurion.