Israel promotes desert tourism

MITZPE RAMON, Israel - The Middle East country has already been credited with making the desert bloom. Now it hopes to make it boom - with tourists.

Seeking to bolster tourism to its vast and largely undeveloped Negev desert region, Israel is promoting luxury camping trips, Bedouin hospitality and challenging outdoor activities like dune surfing.

In addition, a new international airport is rising from the desert floor 18 kilometers from the Israeli Red Sea resort of Eilat and the neighboring Jordanian port of Aqaba.