Egypt eyes tourism revival with zero infections

Tuesday, August 11, 2020

Egypt’s tourism industry is affected badly, but it has received a major boost too since no corona virus cases have been reported among visitors from the time travelers started returning to three governorates.

Egypt closed down tourism and air arrivals for almost 100 days as part of wide-ranging measures for controlling the pandemic.

After a partial recommencement at the beginning of July, almost 100 flights arrived from countries including Ukraine, Belarus, Switzerland and Hungary. Tourists spent their holidays in Egyptian hotels, basking in the warm sun and beautiful beaches.

Tamer Makram, the President of the South Sinai Investors Association, said that tourist groups have gone back to their countries without contacting any infection.

Makram said that the recent tourism revival is a healthy sign predicting rapid recovery in tourism, especially since other visitors, mainly from Italy, will start arriving in Sharm El-Sheikh.

Maha Al-Badini, working in the tourism industry said that these positive results have highlighted Egypt’s name as a tourist destination. Egypt is growing in popularity as a destination, especially in the European market. Ukraine has removed Egypt from its red list and Greece also ended a bilateral agreement to restart tourism.

The Egypt Ministry of Tourism is in talks with EU countries to lift Europe’s travel ban on Egypt.

Egypt Tourism Minister Khaled Al-Anani said that infection rates in the South Sinai, Red Sea and Matrouh governorates — three areas welcoming foreign tourism as a first stage — were lower compared to many EU countries.

Al-Anani said that ambassadors informed about Egypt’s success have also said that there are no obstacles preventing EU citizens traveling to Egypt.

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