Egypt’s tourism sector is recovering slowly

Showed new figures released by the Egyptian Ministry of Tourism that the tourism sector began to recover slowly after a year and a half of political unrest that prompted the collapse of this sector, which was previously recession.

According to the Egyptian Minister of Tourism, Mounir Fakhri Abdel Nour, the number of Egypt tours, tours in Egypt coming to Egypt during the first six months of this year, 5.2 million tourists, an increase of 27 per cent from the same period last year.

The news agency quoted the Middle East in the July 17, for Abdel Nour as saying that the biggest increase was by Russian tourists by 80 percent and Poland by 66 per cent and Germany 30 per cent and Denmark 71 per cent and Norway 101 per cent, while the percentage increase in the number of Egypt holidays, holidays in Egypt coming from the Middle East 36 per cent only

Recovery in some areas but not others
Ayman Al-Sharif, observer hotels Egyptian Ministry of Tourism, in an interview with the balcony that the recovery of the tourism sector seems to be more pronounced in certain areas and not others.

The “increase talked about the minister does not reflect the reality in all areas of Egypt, in Cairo and its environs are still tourist movement shy species and rising hotel occupancy Egyptrates whenever the trend towards coastal areas, especially in the area of ​​Sharm el-Sheikh and Hurghada, which reached the increase occupancy to 80 per cent. ”

The Sharif that “movement also reflected on flights, which began returning to the rates at which they were before the revolution, especially since the Umrah season is associated with the summer holiday, where up day 6000 foreign tourists and English to Cairo, up 15 percent from the same period last year.”
Sector still needs ‘immediate treatment’

In turn, said Mahmud Mohammad, Chamber of tourism companies affiliated to the Ministry of Tourism, in an interview with the balcony that tourism in Egypt need for immediate treatment, to bring in more foreign tourists to the country.

He added that the government should send letters to reassure foreigners about the coming period and promote an atmosphere of satisfaction after rumors that followed boarding President Mursi Chair and the accompanying remarks that he would yield to the wishes of the Islamists on tourism.

He continued by saying, “While so far there is not anything new on the ground.”

And tourism revenues, he said that current figures do not exceed six billion dollars, while in 2010 about the 14 billion, as of now the number of tourists almost six million tourists, up Egyptfrom last year as the number of tourists over the past 12 months seven million tourists, note that the figure was 14 million tourists in 2010.

In turn, said Mohammad Sharif, a restaurant manager in a tourist resort in Sharm El Sheikh, the balcony the figures released by the Ministry of Tourism and actually reflected reality and carry with them the good news but it should not be a lot of optimism.

the reason for this recovery, in his view, to Russian tourists who love Egyptian beaches and the majority of them come for summer seasonal tourism and diving.

and pointed to a recovery relative also in domestic tourism traffic, especially in the small period that followed the results of exams and the start of the month of Ramadan.
Europeans waiting for what will accrue to tourism

He added that tourists, they are now waiting will look Egyptian tourism after the arrival of Islamic political movements to power, and spread rumors about preventing alcohol and Egyptbikini “and other things that are factors attract and complement sightseeing trips.”

Sharif stressed that “this is the reason behind the increase in occupancy rates in tourist areas that are far from Cairo, where he is far from what is happening on the ground.”

He pointed out that the “Reservations for the winter season does not bode well, it is virtually non-existent.”

The Sheriff institutions Egyptian tourist this week’s decision by the Minister of Tourism about modifying the specifications and requirements of tourist establishments for shops, restaurants and nightclubs and hotels to increase the number of days a ban on the alcohol and alcoholic beverages to the Egyptians, to include all the days celebrations of Egyptian religious rather than being limited to the month of Ramadan.

The decision to stop the activity established and removed from the records of the ministry is expected for each penalty violates the decision in those days.