LITTLETON, Colorado – January 9, 2007 – Today, more than 600,000 Americans travel oversees each year for religious purposes and 50,000 churches play host to travel programs. As the only large tour operator to embrace the spirit of faith-based vacations, creating a separate religious division to develop and operate religious vacations, Globus is leading the escorted travel industry in this burgeoning trend. Since beginning its religious division in 2004, the company has seen an unprecedented 650 percent increase in Globus passengers taking religious vacations.

“Religious travel is booming,” said Mike Schields, director of group sales and emerging markets for the Globus family of brands. “Faith-based vacations have become a mainstream initiative in our offices. In fact, we have a team of 25 worldwide, including 15 Tour Directors, dedicated to religious vacations and travel experiences in place for 2007.”

The Globus team of religious professionals designs each religious vacation to ensure travelers’ experiences are not only rich in faith and education, but also steeped in first-class service. “When experiencing a religious vacation with Globus, travelers can balance visits to spiritual sites with shopping, entertainment and exploration, creating a great community among parishioners,” said Steve Born, vice president of marketing. “They not only get faith-based insight, great story-telling and a feeling of spiritual connection at each location, but also enjoy world-class accommodations and most importantly, a vacation away from the rigors and stresses of their lives.”

Catering to most denominations, including several itineraries focused on Catholic and Protestant/Christian, Globus has increased its departures by 50 percent for 2007. New religious vacations for 2007 include Christian England and the World of C.S. Lewis, a Journey through the Bible: Egypt and Jordan, the Grand Catholic Italy vacation and a tour of the Lourdes and Shrines of France, all of which offer personal, in-depth visits to the some of the most famous religious sites in the world. In addition to these new vacation options, Globus also reintroduced favorite itineraries from past travelers to ensure the most variety and well-rounded packages available.

Besides leading the development of religious travel packages, Globus also acts as an industry educator. In 2006, Globus held regional Religious Travel Symposiums and Faith-Based Travel Showcases, providing education, presentations by pastors who run travel programs and sales strategies for travel agents interested in offering religious vacations to their clients. “The main purpose of the symposiums,” said Schields, “is to help agents successfully enter and succeed in this rapidly growing market.”

“Interest in and attendance at our Travel Symposiums increased by100 percent in 2005,” said Schields. “We’re bringing more to agents in 2007 and are planning to host conferences in Denver, Seattle and Boston or Atlanta.”

Additionally, the Globus Faith Web site acts as a resource for agents selling faith-based travel, as well as travelers interested in learning more about the world’s great religious sites. In keeping with its mantra that Every Journey Tells a Story, Globus recently introduced a feature providing Web site visitors with the stories behind each religious site, giving them historical context for the offerings of each vacation.

From pilgrimages that trace the paths of important religious figures to tours of some of the world’s most remarkable places of worship, following are highlights of the 2007 offerings, including the company’s most popular tours:

 •  The immensely popular Footsteps of Apostle Paul vacation affords travelers the opportunity to visit sites where the teacher delivered sermons and conducted personal pilgrimages. During this 10-day trip, travelers will visit Greece and Turkey, stopping in cities such as Corinth and Philippi, famed for the letters and teachings that Paul addressed to them. In addition to these religious sites, travelers will also experience sightseeing in ancient Athens and marvel at the beauty of Rhodes Island. This vacation is priced from $1,569 (land-only price).

 •  New! The Journey through the Bible: Egypt and Jordan vacation begins in Cairo, Egypt, with sightseeing at the Great Pyramids and Giza’s Sphinx, accompanied by a personal Egyptologist. Afterwards, travelers will continue on their 11-day journey to Mt. Sinai – where Moses received the Ten Commandments – and the Dead Sea, among other biblical sites. This vacation is priced from $1,699 (land-only price).

 •  New! Globus guests arrive in London as their first stop on the Christian England & the World of C.S. Lewis vacation. While in London, travelers will visit the city’s many famous cathedrals before enjoying excursions to Canterbury and Oxford. This stay in Oxford allows travelers a glimpse into Lewis’ past with visits to his colleges and favorite pubs. The nine-day trip concludes with a stop in Cambridge where Lewis also resided and taught. This vacation is priced from $1,929 (land-only price).

 •  A travelers’ favorite, the Classic Shrines of Italy package offers a grand tour of Italian religious sites. The tour’s first stop in Rome includes visits to the Sistine Chapel and Vatican Museums, as well as a tour of the Colosseum, a site of Christian martyrdom. As the nine-day vacation continues, travelers will sightsee in various Italian villages en route to Assisi to experience the life of St. Francis. This vacation is priced from $1,649 (land-only price).

 •  New! Grand Catholic Italy offers all of the religious sightseeing included in the Classic Shrines of Italy package, as well as time spent in Florence and Venice. Travelers will enjoy visits to Michelangelo’s David and the Cathedral in Florence as well as a private boat tour in Venice, all during this 10-day trip. This vacation is priced from $1,849 (land-only price).

 •  New! The Lourdes & Shrines of France vacation takes travelers on a tour of France’s top religious sites. Beginning in Paris, travelers will see architectural and religious wonders including the Notre Dame Cathedral and the Basilica of Sacre Coeur. From Paris, travelers will spend the remainder of their 10-day trip experiencing Lourdes, Avignon and Nevers, among other charming French towns. The trip nears an end with a visit to the Basilica of the Sacred Heart in Paray-le-Monial, before returning to Paris. This vacation is priced from $1,799 (land-only price).

 •  Always a favorite, the Footsteps of Pope John Paul II & Poland Heritage vacation offers travelers an intimate look into the life of the beloved pope. Travelers will experience Pope John Paul II’s hometown, visiting his birthplace and boyhood home through out this seven-day vacation. Other highlights of this tour include visits to Warsaw, Czestochowa and Krakow, all important sites in the Pope’s life. This trip also includes a visit to Auschwitz with a stop at the remains the former concentration camp and a martyrdom museum. This vacation is priced from $1,149 (land-only price).

Consumers can book reservations or request a 2007 Globus Religious Vacations brochure by seeing a preferred travel agent, calling toll free 1-866-313-2855 or visiting www.globusfaith.com.

Travel Agents can request a 2007 Globus Religious Vacations brochure by visiting www.globusjourneys.com/agents. Reservation agents can be reached at 1-800-221-0090. More information is also available at www.globusfaith.com.

# # #