Salt Lake City is tied with Israel as the most attractive spot for faith-based travel according to a survey of 1,600 tour operators.

The inaugural survey, conducted by the National Tour Association's monthly trade publication Courier, asked tour operators a series of questions ranging from best group restaurants to favorite cruise line to use while on the job. When asked what their favorite faith-based destination was, operators split between Salt Lake and Israel for the top spot.

Kevin Wright, director of growth markets for the National Tour Association, said the fact that Salt Lake is known for being home to a major religion led to its popularity.

"First of all, it is a destination that receives a lot of visitors to begin with," Wright said. "Secondly, it is one of the best-known religious sites in North America, so that visibility contributes to the numbers that visit each year."

Quebec, known for its distinctive culture surrounding superstitions, finished behind Salt Lake and Israel.

The announcement, which will be published in the January edition of the Courier and distributed to about 6,000 subscribers in the tourism industry, was made at the NTA annual convention in Las Vegas last week. The convention allows tourism professionals to meet with those in charge of tourist attractions.