Egypt is ready to receive tourists from all countries all over the world, and especially from the United States. The country is witnessing a new era in its history and now is the right time to experience the glory and magnificence of the land of the Great Pharaohs.
Two revolutions hindered tourists from visiting the country during the last four years, but the new wave of political and economic stability convinced tourists from Europe, Asia, and even from America to visit Egypt, fearlessly.
The Minister of Tourism of Egypt, Hisham Zaazou, said that, “We in the government feel that 2015 will be good for Egypt as a destination. We are now moving out of the revolutionary period for Egypt and the period of up and down, zigzagging and moving one way or the other when it comes to business. We are much more stable. The figures of 2014 showed that 9.9 million tourists visited the country (+4.3 percent compared to 2013 ), tourist nights reached 97.3 million (+3 percent compared to 2013), tourist revenue in 2013 reached $7.5 billion (an increase of 23 percent compared to that of 2013), the average tourist expenditure has risen from $72 per night during the first quarter of 2014 to $80.10 per night through the third and fourth quarters of 2014.”
The Minister added, “Some of the markets reported triple-digit increases. All markets are improving, including the U.S. (154,619 tourists spending 1,662,897 nights in the country). I’m speaking from a base that became very low because the interest in Egypt dropped. But I’m talking about trends, and the trend is positive.”
“We need to start now immediately,” he said, “and even if we don’t get the numbers immediately, that is not important. What I am interested in is the stimulation of the markets and the retrieval of the lost appetite of the consumer. And when the trend is moving in a positive direction, then I know it’s a matter of time if we continue to do our work that it will get back to the levels of 2010 and before.”
Security Measures in Tourist Destinations
Egypt boosted security procedures at tourist destinations. The new measures included increasing the number of security cameras at hotels and tourist destinations and obliging tourism industry workers to submit to mandatory background checks.
Egypt has bolstered airport security and implemented a comprehensive system for monitoring health standards in hotels.
Cruises in the Mediterranean
Cruise ships have resumed their visits to the Egyptian ports. As for the Mediterranean, the beautiful city of Port Saied, overlooking the Suez Canal, is a major destination. Alexandria is another main attraction for cruise ships. Cruises—in style and comfort—are taking advantage of the year-round sunshine of the Red Sea Riviera and Sharm El-Sheikh. It is worth mentioning that Safaga is a main destination on the Red Sea for cruise ships.
For more information, visit egypt.travel.
