Chinese travelers can now sign up for tours of Israel, after the China-Israel Memorandum of Understanding on tourism came into effect on Monday.[CCTV.com]

Good news for adventurous Chinese travelers, they can now sign up for tours of Israel, after the China-Israel Memorandum of Understanding on tourism came into effect on Monday. [Watch video]

The first Israel-bound Chinese tour group will depart in two batches from Beijing on September 25 and 28.

The 80-person group will visit Jerusalem and the Dead Sea during their 10-day trip. The price for the journey is 28,000 yuan, higher than the price of most trips to the United States. Israel is preparing for the Chinese tourists by providing Chinese-language brochures and the local tourism industry has also recruited people who can speak Chinese.

Previously, Chinese tourists could only visit Israel on business visas. Last year, the two countries signed an agreement making Israel an approved destination for Chinese tour groups.