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        WE'RE NOT TRYING TO BE THE BIGGEST               TOUR COMPANY IN AMERICA

...ONLY THE BEST  

The year was 1961...John F. Kennedy was in the first year of his presidency and Rev. Edward B. Hill made his first journey to Israel.  So inspired by that visit, he returned with the desire and a vision that every minister would  have an opportunity to visit the Holy Land.  That led to the founding of Ed Hill Tours in 1964.  Since then, Ed Hill Tours has operated continuously and to the best of our knowledge, we are now America's oldest travel company specializing in Christian group travel.  We work with ministers and churches of all denominations and backgrounds.  

OUR VISION...                                                                                                       Many things have changed in 45 years, but our basic values remain the same...a commitment to quality and integrity.  No other Christian group travel company can match our years of experience or the personal attention we give our clients.  Yet we believe it is important to keep trying to find ways to make our tours and service better.  We have never specialized in "cheap" tours, but we know that our tours offer excellent value.  We work with individuals and groups as small as 10 to large groups of 1000 or more.  Due to our volume, we are able to negotiate the best possible prices with airlines, cruise lines, hotels, bus companies, etc. 

Tour members tell us that being in Israel brings a special awareness of the simple message that Jesus taught.  We sincerely believe that a visit to the Holy Land is a life-changing and faith-deepening experience. We often hear of the special bond that develops between a pastor and tour members and between the tour members.  Ed Hill states, "Without a doubt, visiting Israel is faith-deepening and one of life's most rewarding spiritual experiences.  Walk the land, view the land, and most of all - experience the Land of the Bible."

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          "Honoring 'Buddy' and Sylvia Hill"             Class of 1935 

 (from Vision - winter 2007 - Official publication of Zion Bible College)

Rev. Edward (Buddy) Hill, a man of great vision, dreamed of being a professional baseball player as a young man.  An encounter with Jesus Christ at a Pentecostal meeting where he was born again opened the door to a lifetime of even grander dreams and visions.  Many of those were realized at Zion Bible Institute.  This multi-talented man would use his gifts to enhance the ministry of the Institute and bless the lives of generations of students.

A native of Massachusetts, Buddy enrolled in The School of the Prophets in 1932 and was soon elected class president.  He also met the love of his life, his classmate Sylvia Gibbs.  Born on the beautiful island of Barbados, her own association with Zion began at the age of four.  After her father passed away, Sylvia's mother entrusted her into the care of her uncle and aunt, Revs. Rueben and Christine Gibson (founder of Zion).  Thus she grew and was nurtured in the Children's Home, a part of Faith Home in East Providence, Rhode Island.  As she matured, Sylvia served as a traveling companion for Sister Gibson, looking after her personal needs.  Her lovely singing voice often blessed the church, one of her favorite songs being, "Ho, Everyone That is Thirsty in Spirit."

After graduating in 1935, Buddy and Sylvia were married on December 28th of that same year.  Sister Gibson performed the ceremony.  Buddy Hill said of Sister Gibson, "Two decades of close companionship with our beloved founder, has stamped an indelible impression of faith deep in my life."

The Hills were blessed with three beautiful daughters, Carmen, Portia and Meredith. Sadly, tragedy struck when Carmen was hit by a car near East Providence High School and her young life was ended.

While still a student, Brother Hill was instrumental in creating the first annual for Zion.  He founded and built the Zion Press as well as the Zion Book Store.  A skilled writer, Bro. Hill utilized the Press to produce gospel tracts and the Faith newsletter.  Perhaps one of his greatest achievements was the launching of Temple Time, Zion's own radio program, which eventually became a daily feature in Rhode Island.  His rich voice was heard far and wide as the recorded program was also broadcast in Maine, New York and New Jersey. In 1962, he founded the Christian Broadcasting Association. The powerful radio ministry of Zion continued for 30 years.

Bro. Hill served Zion as a faculty member, teaching Doctrine.  He also was Zion's public relations director, and an inspiring song leader from 1935 to 1980.  Together with Rev. Donald Bickford, he helped pioneer a full gospel campground on Whited Lake in Bridgewater, Maine.  He also toured the country with trios and quartets from Zion, singing and preaching the gospel.

Instrumental in founding the Zion Evangelistic Fellowship, Bro. Hill served as field secretary and evangelistic director of its Home Missions Department.  He helped establish strong churches in a number of cities throughout the New England states including: Hyannis, Middleboro, Fitchburg, Greenfield, North Adams and Fall River in Massachusetts; Apponaug and Pawtucket in Rhode Island; and several others in Vermont, New Hampshire and Connecticut.

Bro. Hill served on the board of Zion for nearly 40 years and as alumni president for over 30 years.  Throughout his life, his passionate interest in the Holy Land has brought him to Israel more than fifty times, often leading groups of pilgrims to that sacred place.

This December marks Buddy and Sylvia Hill's 72nd wedding anniversary.  Theirs is a testimony of lives and abilities given to Christ and His kingdom. One day, in His presence, they will receive the rewards of their diligent and loving service. The family of Zion will ever be grateful for their dedication to this institution.

Note: Edward and Sylvia Hill would like to take this opportunity to congratulate Rev. Charles Crabtree on his appointment to President of Zion Bible College and wish him many fruitful years of service.    

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Friends of Ed Hill Tours

We are grateful for special relationships with pastors and others that we can look to for prayer support and counsel.   We are pleased that these friends are from various backgrounds and faiths, and we are uniquely graced by each.         Richard Page & Meredith Hill-Page 

Pastor Dick Bernal - Jubilee Christian Center, San Jose, CA                                                                       Dennis Brewer, Sr. - Attorney & Counselor at Law - Irving, TX                                                   Dr. George Callahan - Sr. Minister, Trinity Presbyterian -  Big Canoe, GA                                                  Dr. Ross Collette - Sr. Pastor - Deeper Life Ministries, Warren, MI                                          Rev. Alberto Delgado -Sr. Pastor - Iglesia Alpha & Omega, Miami, FL                                       Dr. J. Don George - Sr. Pastor, Calvary Church, Irving, TX                                             Pastors Mike & Kathy Hayes - Covenant Church, Carrollton, TX                                          Dr. Barry Johnson - Sr. Minister, Jupiter First Church, Jupiter, FL                                                                   Fr. Clement Machado -  Evangelist - Rome, Italy                                                              Rev. Paul Pierpoint - Sr. Pastor (retired), Hobe Sound Bible Church, Hobe Sound, FL             Rabbi Elliott Sparr - Retired, Palm Beach Gardens, FL & Netanya, Israel                                Karen Swanson - Teaching Leader- Bible Study Fellowship. Hearts for Israel,  Fort Collins, CO      

Our overseas partners...the best

For nearly 20 years, Ed Hill Tours has partnered in Israel with IGT (International Group Travel) owned by long-time friend and colleague, Benny Sivan.  With main offices in Jerusalem, IGT is Israel's largest incoming tour company owning Transglobal Tours, managed by David Frank, and operating expedia.com in Israel.  Most of our groups are operated by the IGT-Sunrise division which specializes in Christian tours and is managed by our friend Danny Hamani.    

Other travel partners are: The Difference Travel - Rome, Cruise Club - Athens, Adelanta Travel - Nottingham, England, Wings Tours - Cairo, Kawar Travel and Bluebell Travel - Amman.   

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A brief history...                                                                                                                                                      We are now celebrating 45 years in Christian group travel, and more than ever, we are grateful for all those who have left footprints in our lives through the years. 

We are a wholesale company contracting group space directly from airlines, cruise lines and hotels.  We offer excellent benefits to our tour hosts, most of whom are pastors.  We operate Consolidated Tours every spring and fall, allowing smaller groups to enjoy the lower rates of larger groups.  Consolidated tours are preferred by many tour hosts with groups of 15 or less.  We also offer custom tours for fifteen to fifteen-hundred passengers and the group has their own coach, guide, and custom itinerary.

After Rev. Ed Hill's first visit to Israel in 1962, he returned wanting every pastor to have the opportunity of visiting the Holy Land.  Through the years, Israel has remained our #1 destination.  Extensions may be added to Egypt, Jordan, Greece, Italy or other destinations in Europe.  We also specialize in "Footsteps of Paul Tours" of Greece, Sightseeing & Catholic Tours to Italy, "Seven Churches of Revelation" tours to Turkey and Church Heritage Tours to England, Scotland, Ireland, and Germany are also popular.  We offer vacation and adventure tours to many other fascinating destinations.  Our staff has over 200 years of experience in travel and working with all church denominations.  

Remembering and reminiscing...                               Things were much different in Israel when we started taking tour groups in 1964.  Holy Land tourism was in its early stages and Jordan still controlled the West Bank and East Jerusalem.  We remember taking our groups through the long-since gone Mandelbaum Gate, then the  border-crossing point from East to West Jerusalem.  The famous King David Hotel was the only deluxe hotel in Jerusalem.  We remember when Israel captured the Old City during the Six-Day War in 1967 and Jews could again pray at the Western Wall.  We remember the 1973 Yom Kippur war, and other periods of unrest and their negative impact on tourism.  After the Yom Kippur war, an Ed Hill tour group was the first to cross the Suez Canal by barge and tour Egypt.  On a humorous note: we remember the look of the Israeli border guards when Ed Hill's daughter Meredith, drove a Jordanian ambulance across the Allenby Bridge carrying a tour member who had sprained a foot in Jordan. The Jordanian driver could not go to the Israeli side, so Meredith decided to do the driving!  (We don't remember who drove it back.)  We remember being in Israel when King Hussein made his last trip home after medical treatments in the U.S.  As his plane crossed over Israel airspace, he was escorted by Israeli fighter jets who dipped their wings in a farewell salute to a former adversary on his final journey.  And more than anything, we remember the friends we have made through the years, as well as our travel partners and colleagues.  We are grateful to be the recipient of several travel awards and recently received a special Integrity in Travel award from the Israel Department of Tourism.  Ed Hill Tours has also received a special commendation for bringing over 50,000 passengers to Israel through the years.  In February 2004, we were particularly honored to be named an official "Friend of Israel" for continuing to promote tourism during the difficult period from 2001 to 2004.

IMPORTANT: Safety and security.  We take the safety of our groups very seriously and if we ever did think it was unsafe or unwise to travel to any area, we would advise you not to go.  However, it is a fact that tourists have never been targeted in Israel and to the best of our knowledge, none have been harmed.  After 45 years and untold thousands of passengers, we have never had any tour member harmed in Israel or any other country.  Israel is actually one of the safest places on earth and the types of crime and violence prevalent in the United States is largely nonexistent.  Security in Israel is excellent and ELAL Israel Airlines is known to be the world's most secure airline. 

It is said that information is the best antidote for fear and uncertainty. We know that travelers need reliable and clear-headed information to help them make their travel plans.  Members of our staff travel to Israel and other countries several times a year and we invite tour hosts and their passengers to call us for honest and up-to-date information. 

The resurgence of Holy Land travel.  Since 2004, travel to Israel has been up again dramatically. Christian sites are alive with pilgrims, and it is often a challenge to secure enough air space, especially during the busy spring and fall travel seasons.  Many well-known ministers are again taking large groups and we are consistently operating groups of 100 or more passengers.

                ________________________________________                                                                                                                                 Straight Talk About Group Travel...                                                                                                                We don't practice criticizing other tour operators or try to give the impression that we are the only honest and professional tour company.  Yet we are saddened when we hear of groups who had the wonder and meaning of their tour clouded by disappointments and bad experiences - often due to unethical or inexperienced tour operators.  Most pilgrims will make only one journey to Israel or another Christian-interest destination, and we believe they should have the most meaningful and best overall experience possible.  So we feel that it is important for tour hosts to be aware of the challenges they can face in selecting a tour company and the unhappy results of choosing the wrong one.  

Answers to Frequently Asked Questions.

"What makes Ed Hill Tours such a respected company?"  We have received numerous government and travel industry awards and has never been accused of unethical or dishonest practices.  Our family name is "on the door" and honesty, integrity and professional service are the framework of the relationship we endeavor to build with every client.  We treat our tour hosts and passengers with respect and believe in treating people everywhere we go the same.  It has been said that "the person who treats you nicely but treats a waiter badly, is not a nice person." 

"How do dishonest or inexperienced tour companies continue to stay in business?"  Short answer...by continuously finding new customers who are attracted to and mislead by "too-good to-be-true schemes" or some form of bait and switch.  Group Travel has long been an attractive field for individuals with little experience and sometimes even less integrity.  We know of groups who were promised specific hotels, then switched to lower level hotels, groups promised a "first-class" tour, then placed in run-down hotels and old, dilapidated buses; companies who use low-level guides; or groups who were constantly solicited to pay extra during the tour for items and services that should have been included.  We've even had tour leaders tell us of losing all their money because the tour company went bankrupt or disappeared.  Some have even moved their operations to a foreign country to evade lawsuits. 

"How can I be sure a tour company will understand working with ministers and churches?"  Ask questions and get a feel for the company...smooth-talkers with no substance are readily detectable.   Ed Hill Tours is a family-owned and operated business, and although we are Christians, we don't feel it is appropriate to put that front and center in our advertising.  However, it is an advantage for a pastor to work with a company that operates with Christian principles, has broad experience with churches, and understands the unique aspects of working with churches, pastors and their congregations.    

"Why shouldn't I just book my group through a travel agent?"  First, Ed Hill Tours is not a travel agency...we are a wholesale group travel company.  Travel agencies work primarily with individuals, so they do not have contract group rates with airlines, hotels, or foreign land operators.  They offer a lower level of tour host benefits if they do so at all. Most travel agents have little, if any personal experience in Israel and other Christian-interest destinations.  We are personally familiar with all our primary destinations since we escort many of our groups and regularly inspect hotels, sites, restaurants, etc.  We also work with a very select group of guides, and often choose a certain guide whom we know would fit well with a particular group.  All this assures our groups a seamless, well-crafted, and meaningful tour experience - at the best price.  

Why are there wide differences in tour prices when the tours appear similar?  There are almost too many reasons to address, but here are a few.  1) Tour companies in the U.S. work with many different foreign operators and the net prices they receive can vary widely, even for the same hotels, buses, etc.  2) Some tours advertise an "Inclusive" price which means the tips, taxes, fuel surcharge and any other extras are included in the advertised selling price.  More often, the tour price itself is the advertised price, and the extras are shown later.  3) Some large tours may offer 2 or 3 levels of accommodations and their advertising may only state the lowest price.  (These are simple marketing strategies and are not necessarily unethical; however they can be misleading.)  4) Tour companies operate at different margins.  5) Tour hosts often work on different levels of benefits.  

We advise individuals not to be misled by low-priced (bait and switch) tours.  During the tour, the tour member is usually solicited for optional tours, extra meals, tips, and other "extras" which should have been included, but were left out to make the selling price appear lower.  For the reasons stated in the above paragraph, neither should it be assumed that more expensive tours always offer better hotels, buses, guides, more sites, or a better quality tour overall.   

Asking the following questions of a tour company can help a prospective tour host make better "apples to apples" comparisons.

Does Ed Hill Tours include all meals?  All of our Holy Land tours include the famous Israeli buffet breakfast and full dinner, and tours to other countries usually include a full breakfast and dinner.  In Israel, we also include one lunch - the St. Peter's fish lunch at the Sea of Galilee and a farewell dinner.  However, unless the tour host prefers to, we do not include lunches...and that saves most people money.  Here's why: The buffet breakfasts are very large with a variety of items to choose from, and we've found that many tour members prefer to eat a light lunch.  Tour companies who advertise "lunches included" add about $15 a day to the tour cost for the "included" lunches.  So instead of adding $100 or more to the tour price for lunches, we give tour members the option of paying only for what they choose to eat.  For example, a large slice of pizza or a Falafel (the national sandwich of Israel) with a soft drink, is about $6 everywhere.  Again, if a tour host prefers to include lunches, either pre-arranged or casual, we will certainly do so.   

Will I always get more with a higher cost tour?  Don't count on it.  Some question how our Majesty of Israel & Glory of Israel tours could offer so much when they see tours priced at hundreds of dollars more.  We operate at fair and reasonable profit margins and no tour at any price can offer more than our Deluxe tours...not better hotels, better airlines, better guides, better food, better motor coaches, more included sites or better benefits to the tour leader.  Note: The selling price of a hosted tour is set by the tour host, not Ed Hill Tours.  

Why won't some companies tell us the actual hotel our group is staying in?  Some companies will state a certain hotel "or similar", which allows them the option of using any hotel they consider similar.  The group can then be switched to a lower priced hotel, the tour company pays less, but the group never receives a refund.  A tour company may promise a well-known upscale hotel such as Hilton, then switch the group to a cheaper hotel at the last minute.    Various explanations can be given the unsuspecting tour host such as: "we just found out the Hilton is being renovated" or "the Hilton is now overbooked."  If true, the tour company would have known well in advance.  The group was probably never booked at the promised hotel and the tour company pockets a considerable amount of extra profit.  When you travel with Ed Hill Tours, your hotels are stated and guaranteed...no surprises!     

What do American travelers expect abroad?  Most American travelers expect quality hotels, excellent food, deluxe coaches, and they want to know exactly where they will be staying before they leave home.  It is never a good feeling to be solicited for extra contributions to guides & service personnel, or be hit with "extra" entrance fees, or "optional sightseeing tours" to visit sites which should already be included.  We operate on a No Surprises basis.  With Ed Hill Tours, all tips for guides, drivers, wait staffs, baggage handling, etc. are paid before departure...no passing the hat on tour.  Any legitimate optional tours or other expenses are specified upfront.

Do you offer different levels or types of accommodations?  Yes. Most of our tours use Deluxe or Superior First-Class hotels, but we  always accommodate the desires and budget of a group.  However, to protect our reputation and the reputation of the tour host, we never recommend less than First-Class or Superior First-Class hotels. It has become more difficult for unscrupulous tour operators to put Christian groups in 3rd-rate hotels, or use 3rd-rate guides and worn-out buses as if that was the best available or was standard for "pilgrimage travel."    

What does "shopping tour" mean?  Most tour members enjoy shopping, and some enjoy shopping more than others.  However, we do not engage in so-called "shopping tours."  Too much shopping takes time away from important sites and usually takes place when tour companies use low level, low-paid guides.  These guides try to  supplement their low salary by leading "shopping tours" to stores where they receive commissions.  We cannot guarantee the "best prices" at any store, but we only allow shopping at stores offering quality, fair prices, and who stand behind their products after the sale.  We take no commissions and use only top guides who are paid accordingly.                            

UNBEATABLE TOUR HOST BENEFITS!

 What we offer our Tour Hosts...

Promotional Materials:  We offer a simple, yet proven step-by-step process for promoting a successful tour.  We can provide you examples of Tour Announcements, systematic Follow-Up Letters and Tour Flyers.  Pre-printed tour "Shells" may also be available to your destination.  Once you have people committed to the tour by making a deposit, we will follow up with the tour member and handle most all the details for you!                                                Computerized Summary:  When you send us the Tour Host Application Form, we start a file on your tour.  All information regarding your tour will be recorded (payments, rooming lists, domestic flight requests, individual deviations/extensions, etc.)  The Summary is continuously updated and any questions you have can be quickly answered.                                                         Internet Advertising: Ed Hill Tours may publish your tour free of charge on our website and other appropriate websites such as the Israel Government Tourism website.                              Passenger Information: After a Passenger Application and deposit is received by Ed Hill Tours, a letter of acknowledgement is mailed to the passenger along with an itemized statement.   We also include general information on your destination which will answer questions about weather, clothing, passports, visas, travel insurance, etc.                                                                         Statements: After your passenger is enrolled in the tour, we will begin sending them monthly statements.  The tour member then makes installment payments with the entire balance typically due 45-60 days prior to departure.                                                       Tour Information: Ed Hill Tours will regularly mail, email or fax you a Status Report on your tour providing current names, addresses and payment status of all registered tour members.                   Tour Host Benefits: Ed Hill Tours typically offers tour hosts One Free Tour for every Five full-paying passengers enrolled.  This may vary depending on the needs of the tour host.  For a detailed explanation of all our benefits please call or email Ed Hill Tours. Passenger Final Documents: Approximately 20 days prior to tour departure, each tour member will receive a personalized Flight Packet containing final travel documents: airline tickets (unless emailed or sent to Tour Host), itinerary, contact information for hotels and land operator, name badges, and color-coded luggage tags.          Tour Host Final Documents: In addition to the above, the Tour Host will receive a list of airline ticket numbers for the entire group, a complete rooming list, a check for tips with the distribution breakdown for guides, drivers, dining staff, baggage handlers, etc., extra luggage tags and name badges.                                      Tour Finances: Ed Hill Tours has always considered the protection of sensitive information to be a foundation of client trust and a sound business practice.  It is our policy that information regarding tour financials and tour host benefits be kept in strict confidence and discussed or communicated by any means only with authorized individuals.  

The above is a overview of our tour procedures and does not represent each and every service we may provide.  Some items are necessary procedures while others may be modified or omitted as agreed by Ed Hill Tours and the tour host.   

The Responsibility of the Tour Host:  Your responsibility to Ed Hill Tours is to actively promote your tour through various forms of advertising which may include: direct mail, media, brochures/flyers, website, bulletin inserts, public announcements, personal networking, informational meetings and multi-media presentations.  And importantly, the tour host collects and returns the Passenger Information sheets to us.  These sheets include passport information necessary for travel.  Most important?  Get people involved and excited about a wonderful event in the life of the church.  If nothing more than a brief mention of Israel (or another destination) in a sermon, keep the tour before the congregation.  Your own enthusiasm will be the most important key to a successful tour promotion!                          

The question we are asked most: "Do I have to be an experienced tour host or expert on the destination?"  Understandably a concern for the first-time tour host.  Answer: Absolutely not!  With Ed Hill Tours, after you arrive at your destination, literally everything is done for you.  Often someone from our staff will escort the group and since we have worked with our foreign operators for many years, they are familiar with the special treatment our groups receive. They will meet and assist you on arrival and escort the group to your waiting motor coach.  There you are met by your hand-selected guide and driver.  Once on tour, all transfers, baggage handling, express hotel check-in, and entrance fees are taken care of for you.  When you need any type of assistance on tour, the guide and our local office are well-prepared to handle it.  At some sites, the tour host may wish to teach and have a brief service after the guide's explanation.  You will never be rushed away from meaningful sites.  Our goal is to do everything possible to take any pressure or unnecessary responsibilities off the tour host so you can relax and enjoy the tour and the fellowship of your group!

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Edward B. Hill