Where do you Sphinx they've all gone?

Tourists deserting Egyptian pyramids show what a difference a year makes for troubled region

By RICK DEWSBURY

It's one of the greatest tourist attractions on earth.
Fantastic shades of multi-colour illuminate the awesome pyramids dominating the Egyptian night sky to the delight of tourists.
Yet this awe-inspiring spectacle remains virtually deserted every night as holidaymakers shun the 'jewel of the Middle East'.
Sombre pictures taken this week show the rows of empty seats at the Light and Sound Show, below the historic pyramids in Cairo.

Only a handful of sightseers and a few despondent tour guides can be seen at the iconic landmark, which includes the Great Sphinx.
Only a year earlier the show had been fully-booked every night. Dozens of tourists cooed as they watched the landmarks change to shades of purple, green, red and blue among others. Vast beams of light were shot into the air by high-tech lasers.
Egypt had been on the verge of its own economic revolution, with booming tourism and impressive developments of apartments, offices and flats around the country.
But this revolution went no further. In its place were the scenes of violence and mass protest in Tahrir Square in February which became known as the 'Arab Spring'.

Nine months later and a new country has been born. But as the empty seats at Cairo show, tourism today is a shadow of what it once was.
Holidaymakers have shunned the troubled region for fear of being caught up in the terrifying scenes sweeping North Africa. Travel agents unwilling to risk sending tourists to a potential war-zone have pulled out of region.
And their cautiousness has been proven right, as recent violent demonstrations against military rule have shown.
At least 40 people have been killed in fierce clashes in the past week alone as protesters have demanded the resignation of the army commanders. Egypt’s military ruler warned of ‘extremely grave’ consequences if the turbulent nation did not pull through its current crisis.
Field Marshal Hussein Tantawi said: ‘We will not allow troublemakers to meddle in the elections. Egypt is at a crossroads – either we succeed politically, economically and socially or the consequences will be extremely grave and we will not allow that.
'None of this would have happened if there were no foreign hands. We will not allow a small minority of people who don’t understand to harm Egypt’s stability.’
Protesters, who have once again camped out in Tahrir Square, said that they had come under fire from a police sniper.
The violence has proved how fragile the region is. Even after elections in the coming weeks, Islamic parties are expected to take control.
The elections are likely to be dominated by the once-banned Muslim Brotherhood. Analysts think they could win roughly a third of votes, likely to be far greater than the hundreds of small parties who will each get only a fraction of the vote.
The tourism industry has also so far been one of the main losers since violence began in the country, which saw the former president Hosni Mubarak ousted.
It is estimated that the unrest has cost the Egyptian economy some $310million a day, or at least $30 billion over the course of the year.

One of the indirect victims has been travel agents Thomas Cook. The firm saw a 70 per cent fall in its share price this week.

The group has suffered from the impact of the 'Arab spring', which has hit bookings to Tunisia and Egypt, destinations popular with France and Russia respectively, as well as UK holidaymakers.
Despite the drop in visitor numbers, the country's tourism board is trying to lure back holidaymakers with a string of advertising campaigns.
Egypt's promotional push portrays the region's potential as a safe and attractive holiday destinations.
‘Welcome to the country of peaceful revolution’ is the slogan that Egypt has settled on.

http://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-2067329/Egypt-protests-Tourists-deserting-pyramids-difference-year-makes-troubled-region.html?ito=feeds-newsxml

British tourists flocking to Egypt: Report

www.egypt.travel

London: While those from many western countries stay away, British tourists are reportedly flocking to Egypt despite the resurgence of civil unrest in which at least 14 protesters were shot dead by police in Cairo. 

Flights are still almost full as British holidaymakers take advantage of cheaper deals in Red Sea resorts such as Sharm el Sheikh in the wake of the civil unrest in places like Cairo, the 'Sunday Express' quoted tourism chiefs as saying. 

Egyptian authorities have announced incentives for charter operators in a bid to thwart the tourism crisis that has followed January's revolution, jeopardising an industry worth 11 per cent of the country's output. 

The Foreign Office has not warned against travel to Egypt but urges Britons to avoid Cairo where tension is mounting. 

"The situation is volatile and changing rapidly. There is a high risk of indiscriminate attacks on public places frequented by expatriates and foreign travellers," a Foreign Office spokesman was quoted as saying. 

Yet resort destinations such as Sharm el Sheikh and Hurghada, 300 miles away, are unaffected. 

Neil Garner, of the Monarch Travel Group, said: "Our figures for November show that Britons are still flocking to the Red Sea, though Europeans and Russians seem to be staying away. Flights to Sharm have been 97 per cent full." 

Khaled Rami, director of the Egyptian Tourist Office for the UK and Ireland, said most of the country was safe, adding: "If you look at Tahrir Square you would think all of Egypt is burning, but only in the way that anybody outside of the UK who saw footage of the August riots would think all the UK was burning."

http://zeenews.india.com/news/world/british-tourists-flocking-to-egypt-report_744110.html

Nile Cruise Holidays in Egypt- Why choose a cruise on the Nile?

Marianna De Padova - 22/11/2011 On the banks of the sacred river to the discovery of ancient Egyptian temples with breathtaking views and scenes of everyday life.
http://www.turismo.it/reportage/viaggi-in-medio-oriente/nilo-crociera-vacanze-in-egitto

Quiet and calm,  from south to north, while on its banks, life goes slow, between the mud-brick huts and punctuated by the voice of the muezzin. The green palm trees and crops is tinged with gold at sunset when the sun goes behind the palm trees and children playing football on the banks of the river, while a silent parade in the evening Egyptian felucca, full of perfumes who already East. Colors, sounds, and possible suggestions on a comfortable ship, which follows the course from Aswan to Luxor and the great river: theNile cruise , which retains all the charm of old british. In fact it is de rigueur at sunset tea with cookies, to be enjoyed on the terrace deck of the ship. And 'the Nile, the protagonist of this journey that gently leads the visitor to discover the ancient glories, when the river was one of the most revered god important. So today the Nile temples framed illuminated cold morning light, golden light of dusk, or vibrating (ahead of our times), after a meal eaten comfortably on the moving ship. The sweet sailing accompanies visitors to the site ofPhilae , which is also moved to prevent the waters of the dam, but that is inserted into a landscape of granite, which makes it look like Egypt at the corner of Sardinia. The most imposing walls of the temple Kom Ombo welcome after a few hours of browsing other: here the colors of the paintings still vibrate in the warm light of sunset and enveloping, where hieroglyphic columns and large, seem to have been made ​​recently. But incredibly, the majesty of the temples seem to grow as the great river rises to Luxor , ancient Thebes and the bright, the temple of Edfu , with its side chambers, from which stairs rise mysterious, wonderful charm of the surrounds. But it is the temple of Karnak , Luxor, the constructive power of the ancient Egyptians seem to make a pair with the italic Colosseum: up to 24 meters high walls, with a thickness of 12, which were well forward of the sovereign power that wanted: Ramses II. A power in the great central colonnade is perhaps its highest expression. But Luxor is not only the city hosts its temples and elegant: beyond the western shore of the great Nile, the impressive Valley of the Kings tombs retains its large, while the great Colossi of Memnon seems to act as guardians to the rest of the secular nobles. Solitary and camouflaged in the rocks, the spectacular tomb of Queen Hatshepsut, built by its architect and first director Senemut, and perhaps also her lover, who made ​​this tomb the concrete testimony of the greatness of this woman, in a civilization that was able to establish itself in the masculine as queen. Millennia after the great Nile, offering visitors also continues to give away his wealth to the land, elsewhere it is deserted.Nile Cruise: look at the PHOTO All Cruises Tourist Information www.egypt.travelMS MayFair: www.mayfaircruises.com 

Healthy Destinations

Egypt offers a lot of non-commercial destinations that can do wonders for your mind and body. Skip the late night partying, waking up after sunset and eating-packed holidays for a relaxing and fit vacation instead

El Gouna

El Gouna is a self-contained resort town on the Red Sea with sandy beaches and ideal temperatures. Internationally recognized as an environmentally friendly destination, it is unique because it is home to a multi-cultural, international community.

As a fully developed town, it offers all the services required for a hassle-free vacation or permanent living. In addition to 14 hotels, the various sports and fitness activities, restaurants and exciting nightlife, it is worth visiting as one of the most sought-after destinations.

Visitors will enjoy a large variety of sports in El Gouna that include water sports such as windsurfing, kite-boarding, parasailing, fishing safaris, wakeboarding, waterskiing, snorkeling, deep sea diving and fun tubes.

Moreover, El Gouna is a famous destination for avid golf players. Golf is known to burn 266 calories per hour in general (average body weight of 70 kg). El Gouna Golf Club offers an 18-hole championship course with driving range, chipping and pitching area and putting greens. Rental services are available for clubs, trolleys and golf carts.

However, sports in El Gouna include so much more; from tennis, squash, biking, beach buggies, to horseback riding and beach volleyball.

Be sure to check the events taking place in El Gouna as various festivals, like the yoga festival, take place throughout the year.

Marsa Alam

Located some 800 km south of Cairo, Marsa Alam enjoys an amiable sunny weather all year round. With its stunning sea views, tantalizing dive spots, it is without a doubt the future of the Red Sea Riviera. In contrast to fully developed resorts in Sinai, Marsa Alam is still in its infancy with no real downtown and virtually no nightlife outside your hotel premises. However, relaxation and privacy score high when it comes to Marsa Alam.

Due to its tranquil and relaxing nature, Marsa Alam is the perfect destination for outdoor fitness enthusiasts. Most hotels opened there enjoy beautiful landscaping that makes a stroll, jog or even a run a cathartic experience.

The virgin beaches also offer the perfect spot for meditation. In fact, a group of Asian meditation lovers chose Marsa Allam in 2010 to hold a week-long meditating week.

Diving, a sport that burns around 210 calories per hour (average body weight of 70 kg), is of course a popular sport there; board the boat and head to Elphinstone. Grey Reef, Oceanic White Tip and White Tip Reef sharks are just some of the big fish that frequents the world-renowned reef. Elphinstone is split into two sections; the north - due to strong current can be best dived when the weather is favouring, and the south, a striking paradise of hard and soft corals with a plethora of Napoleons and snappers. Head there for an early morning or late afternoon dive, if you are up for Hammerhead sharks. If sharks are not your cup of tea, just head to the sandy beach of Abu Dabbab where a resident Dugong call the place home. Dugong, more commonly known as sea cow, is an endangered marine mammal that can be seen in a handful of locations around the world.

Hamata

Hamata is a tiny fishermen’s village located some one hundred kilometers south of Marsa Alam. Missing on Hurgada’s bustling shopping streets and Sharm El Sheikh’s glamorous nightlife, Hamata scores high when it comes to nature and outdoor activities.

Being part of Wadi El Gemal, Hamata Natural Protectorate has one of the most beautiful mangrove thickets in the whole of the Red Sea coast. Mangrove is essential to the surrounding ecology, not only for the role it plays for migrating and residence birds alike, but also for acting as a natural nursery for small fishes and crustaceans.

From Red Sea endemic White-eyed Gull, to populace Sooty Gull, and from the dusk hunter Sooty Falcon to the pure piscivore Osprey; this is heaven for any bird watcher. Even if you are not a fan of birds, having a stroll on the beach and enjoying the last rays of light as it fades on such spectacular natural scenery is deemed indescribable.

If you are up for a sandy ride, then don’t miss the safari into the Eastern Desert where you will enjoy the ethereal landscape of a different planet. Desert safaris target several destinations, among which is the historically important Sikiet Temple. The temple is part of an ancient site that was dubbed the Ancient World’s largest emerald mine. The precious gem is long gone, but the wrecking edifices that are still in place are witness to a civilization that once flourished. 

When compared to Sharm El Sheikh or Hurgada, Hamata’s divers are low in number; the underwater environment is less disturbed. Head for the dive spot of your life—Maksur Reef. Soft, hard or even fan corals paint the scenery in Technicolor bloom, while schools of pelagic, rays and sharks ply the reef. Forget about White-tip sharks and Hammerheads, if you come at the right time of the year, you can be lucky and spot a whale shark. Maksur Reef is a drift dive that requires diving experience for its strong current. Follows suit is the spectacular Claudio Reef with its cave system. Being relatively shallow, the caves enjoy a good amount of light and you can end up with some amazing underwater shots. Free swimming morays will most probably be there to greet you, as well as Napoleons and Leopard Sharks. If you are into wreck diving, there is no wreck as scenic as that of the Tienstin. The Chinese tugboat went down on 26 October 1943, now it is literally encrusted with corals. During low tide, snorkelers can get a glimpse of the wreck while its bow breaks the water surface.

Hamata is becoming a world-renowned kite surfing hotspot. Kitesurfing works mainly the legs, gluteus maximus and abdominals and it burns off around 500 – 1000 calories in a two-hour session. With the kitesurfing zeal skyrocketing in Europe, kitesurfing holiday packages are up for grabs. And those legions of thrill hungry kitesurfers are looking for one thing—the perfect lagoon. Hamata happened to host one. A 2.5 km by 1.8 km knee-deep lagoon is any kite surfer’s dream, especially if the wind conditions are favorable.

Another in-fashion type of outdoor activity is desert sailing. Following the footsteps of water sailing, yet in an avant-garde creative way, sand sailing involves a three-wheel metal cart that moves across the flat desert terrain catching the wind in its sail.

Dahab

Overshadowed by Sinai’s tourism prima donna—Dahab often misses tourists’ brochures altogether. The laid back town has grown a reputation for being a backpackers’ wonderland, though deep down it has something to offer every taste with its diverse points of attraction. From attention grabbing camel diving safari and adrenaline pumping rock climbing to 365 days sunbathing prime time and a mouthwatering culinary scene.

Dahab comes in with a wide array of outdoor activities on offer. Tops the list is the Red Sea most popular sport—diving. Eel Garden is Dahab’s most famous diving site. As the name might imply, the offshore dive spot is a garden of eels. Getting out of town, one has two diving directions to choose from. Head south and enjoy the majestic site of Three Pools or head north to the magnificent Blue Hole. The enormous hole offers a number of amazing diving opportunities with Bells remaining an all time favorite diving spot. Diving Bells, one has to go through a natural funnel-like formation that ends with a vertical tube shooting you down straight to 25m deep.

Dahab is capitalizing on its great diving opportunities and now it is starting to introduce a new version of diving—free-diving. A form of sport where you put your body to the challenge as you descend deep into the water without diving gear, free-diving is the new “it thing” in the realm of adventurous sports. Another thrilling diving experience on offer is camel diving safari. Pack your diving gear on camel backs and head to an offshore diving spot where you would go diving in the morning and camping at night. The two-in-one innovative idea gives you a golden opportunity to enjoy both diving as well as camel safari. Desert Divers have introduced this new excursion. A lot of trip organizers offer a hike to Ras Abu Gallum, an-hour walk from Blue Hole that can burn about 270 calories (average weight of 70 kg). The walk along the beach trail usually takes place by early sunrise or at sunset (if you’re planning to set camp there).

You can also hike the Colored Canyon and enjoy breathtaking views of the desert.

Nuweiba

The town of Nuweiba is the most relaxing and nature-loving area of the Sinai Peninsula. With hardly any concrete establishments, Nuweiba is characterized by sandy clear beaches, warm weather all year round and eco-friendly lodges.

The coastal city, which means “springs” in Arabic, is located around 150 km north of the Red Sea resort Sharm El Sheikh, 70 km south of Taba and 465 km southeast from Cairo..

The most popular activity in Nuweiba is diving and snorkeling. Don’t miss the chance to see an array of incredibly unique marine life. A small reef is located south of Tarabin, otherwise better snorkeling and diving is found at Ras Shitan. Camel treks are found along the town and can be arranged from the Bedouins at Tarabin. You can just ride along the beach or go into the mountain interior. If you’re looking for a more serene activity, then head to Basata camp where you will find many guests indulging in yoga, pilates or meditation in the “Main Tent.” In fact, these activities are taken very seriously there that absolute silence is required from everyone.

Dalia Farouk, Wednesday 16 Nov 2011
http://english.ahram.org.eg/NewsContent/3/12/26745/Business/Economy/No-tourist-cancellations-due-to-upcoming-polls-Off.aspx

British Airways will not cancel any flights to or from Egypt during Egypt’s upcoming parliamentary polls slated to begin on 28 November, said BA Regional Manager Mervat Alfy.Alfy said that there might be a drop in the number of flights from the UK to Egypt during elections, but added that no official instructions to this effect had been issued by British authorities.
According to Egypt’s tourism ministry, there have been no recent cancellations or reductions in the volume of Cairo-bound flights.
Meanwhile, Hossam El-Shaer, chairman of the tourism division at the Egyptian Chamber of Commerce, denied reports that Russian carriers had halted their scheduled flights to Egypt.
Russians tourists accounted for some 30 per cent of the 14.7 million tourists that visited Egypt in 2010, representing the largest tourist influx of a single nationality. British tourists came in second at 15 per cent of total tourist arrivals, followed by travellers from Germany and Italy.
Along with Egypt’s strategic Suez Canal, tourism has traditionally represented one of the country’s top foreign currency earners, generating some $12.5 billion in revenue last year.
The industry suffered a major blow early this year, however, following the wave of popular unrest that led to the ouster of president Hosni Mubarak and a subsequent security vacuum.
The US, UK and Russian governments have not placed any official travel restrictions on Egypt. Nevertheless, they have advised citizens travelling to Egypt to follow security updates and avoid political rallies and marches

www.egypt.travel

Egyptian tourism sector starts to recover?

Tourism in Egypt rose by 23.2 per cent in the third quarter, official statistics showed on Monday.
Some 2.7 million people visited Egypt in the third quarter of this year, half-a-million more than those who came during the second quarter, said the Tourism Development Authority.
In the second quarter, tourist arrivals plunged 35.4 per cent, down from 3.5 million visitors in the same period of 2010, according to official figures released in September.
“These numbers showcase the gradual recovery of the Egyptian tourism industry which still maintains its outstanding reputation on the world’s tourism map. They are also proof that Egyptian tourism is built on solid ground allowing it to sustain itself even in the harshest of times” said Amrou Ezzabi, the director of the Egyptian Board for Tourist Entertainment.
He added that the tourism industry has been successful at dealing with the uproar in the country in that it could achieve such positive numbers. “We reiterate our commitment to maintaining positive growth rates and attracting more visitors especially from the Arab Gulf”, he said.
Tourism in Egypt, home to Pharaonic sites and Red Sea resorts, is a key money earner and source of foreign currency.
Reports in May said Egypt lost LE13.5 billion ($2.27 billion) in tourism revenues in the three months since the January-February uprising that ousted Mubarak. Egypt has struggled to revive tourism since the revolt. The country attracted about 15 million tourists last year.
In May, the assistant of the Egyptian Tourism Minister told the “Middle East” newspaper, “the tourism industry has started to experience some activity after the 25th January revolution period during which occupancy rates sank to 8% compared to the expected 50% for that period. Occupancy rates before the revolution was edging up 90%.” He added, “We will focus on tourist exporting countries like Europe and the Gulf but we will also launch marketing campaigns in the Americas, South East Asia and China”. (Source: www.yallafinance.com)

Marketing Communications in Tourism and Hospitality: Concepts, Strategies and Cases
Butterworth-Heinemann (December 26, 2008) | ISBN: 0750682779 | 320 pages | PDF | 12 MB

The rapidly changing context of the modern tourism and hospitality industry, responding to the needs of increasingly demanding consumers, coupled with the fragmenting nature of the marketing and media environment has led to an increased emphasis on communications strategies.
How can marketing communication strategies meet the changing and challenging demands of modern consumers, and maintain a company's competitive edge?

Marketing Communications in Tourism and Hospitality: concepts, strategies and cases discusses this vital discipline specifically for the tourism and hospitality industry. Using contemporary case studies such as South African Tourism, Travelocity and Virgin Trains, it explains and critiques the practice and theory in relation to this industry. Combining a critical theoretical overview with a practical guide to techniques and skills, it illustrates the role that communications play in the delivery and representation of hospitality and tourism services, whilst developing practical skills needed to understand, interpret and implement communications strategies within a management context.

This systematic and cohesive text is essential reading for hospitality management students, and an invaluable resource for marketing practitioners in this growing area.

. Aids understanding of how marketing practice specifically relates to the business of hospitality and tourism.
. Provides a clear overview of the underlying theories of communication to help develop skills and contribute to effective marketing.
. Uses detailed and extensive international case studies, to illustrate the theories and show good practice.

 

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http://www.filesonic.com/file/884194091/0750682779.rar 

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Sofitel Winter Palace Luxor hotel still dazzles

By Heba Elkayal/Daily News Egypt November 15, 2011, 2:06 pm
http://www.thedailynewsegypt.com/travel/sofitel-winter-palace-luxor-hotel-still-dazzles.html

At the Winter Palace Luxor hotel’s gift shop, Gaddis, hangs an old sign that reads: “You are requested to consider yourself at home here. The staff will serve you cheerfully but is strictly forbidden to importune you to buy.”

Mr. Gaddis first set up shop in the hotel’s arcades in 1902 to sell and develop pictures for guests. Over the years, it started to offer books and trinkets for travelers, but it is worth looking in if only to admire some vestiges of the past, such as old cameras in a glass case.

The sign, though amusing and charming, is perhaps more telling of the hotel’s spirit and the attitude of its staff: Guests both adults and children alike are invited — in fact, requested — to indulge in poking around the hotel’s many rooms and grounds. Where else in the world is one invited to do so at a hotel that dates back well over a hundred years?

Built in 1907, the Winter Palace Luxor hotel stands on the banks of the river Nile looking across at the Theban necropolis and the Valley of the Kings; it’s also a stone’s throw away from Luxor Temple. Today, it is managed by the French hotel company Sofitel, mixing French savoir faire with Egyptian hospitality and heritage. The result is both beau et charmant.

The Winter Palace has been the address for Luxor visitors since opening in 1886. The 19th century was a time when travel was indicative not only of status and wealth, but also of keen scholarship and worldliness. The Winter Palace was, and continues to be, home to guests who wish to flee from the bitter cold during the winter months or enjoy the relaxed atmosphere and countryside charm of Egypt.

Previous guests included Somerset Maugham, Agatha Christie, Sir Winston Churchill, James Baker, Henry Kissinger and, in more recent years, French President Nicolas Sarkozy. It was here that King Farouk would make his place of residence when visiting Luxor and it was here that Howard Carter, along with his patron Lord Carnarvon, decided to announce to the world on the steps of the hotel the discovery of the tomb of King Tutankhamun.

Getting too used to luxury

What makes the Winter Palace a destination in and of itself is not what it offers guests in terms of modern amenities, but what it offers them in terms of a travel experience. Bellboys in red fezzes and embroidered jackets will handle all your baggage as you climb a grand staircase at the hotel’s entrance, staff at the concierge desk will greet you “bonjour” with sincerity and the palace’s interiors all bring you to as close a 19th century travel experience as possible.

The hotel underwent refurbishments recently and will soon, under the guidance of its holding company EGOTH, be restored in its entirety. Ninety-two rooms are available, seven of which are suites.

My pleasant room was generous in size, in comparison to hotel rooms in Egypt, with high ceilings and equally grand windows that opened up to a view onto the hotel’s famous gardens. Numerous acres make up the grounds where decades-old palm trees sway amongst exotic plants that were flowering in late October during my visit.

The bathroom is relatively small and the shower’s water pressure was weak, but some Hermès toiletries and soft complimentary slippers made up for that.

Service is efficient throughout the hotel, but room service lacks thoroughness. Housekeeping did a perfunctory job of tidying up my room but considering all else I was enjoying in the hotel, I didn’t care too much.

I suggest tailoring each day of your visit with an early start to tour the sites and spend the afternoon relaxing and dining. It’s best to get to the touristic sites as early as possible to avoid the busloads of tourists, which despite current political circumstances, are still flowing in.

With only one morning in Luxor, I visited the Valley of the Kings, Howard Carter’s house, and then Hatshepsut Temple in about five hours total. The concierge at the hotel helped to arrange for a car and tour guide.

Shahaat, our local guide, not only spoke English fluently but gave a thorough lecture peppered with anecdotes at all three sites, and our driver constantly ensured we were armed with icy water bottles which were served out of a cooler from the trunk.

After a hike up and down to Hatshepsut Temple in the sun, our driver handed us moist towelettes. As I lapped up the little touches of decadence, it became clear: you can’t do the sites of Luxor as if you were doing the sites of Europe. There’s something so uniquely regal about viewing millennia-old monuments of such pomp and circumstance, it wouldn’t be acceptable to view them with any less formality or flair.

A dip in the hotel’s pool before the sun sets wouldn’t be amiss. Children on midterm holidays were splashing about and waiters around the pool joked with guests. I was called princess when served my lunch of pizza and for a second, I allowed myself to believe it. I can only imagine being a child grants you even more treats.

Though food is not exceptional throughout the hotel, there are highlights of course. The French restaurant 1886 offers French gastronomy in an historic and intimate dining room decorated with candle lights, gilded mirrors and silk draperies. A strict jacket and tie policy applies, and smoking and talking on your mobile are forbidden. The man playing covers on an electric guitar during dinner was somewhat kitsch but best to drown him out with some laughter and the clinking of wine glasses.

It’s highly recommended that you enjoy a drink some time after dinner in the Royal Bar. Restored and refurbished, you can borrow one of the hotel’s books — some are first editions carefully guarded by the hotel and Council of Antiquities that visits the hotel four times a year to check upon its artifacts.

These include lush Oriental carpets in the reception area and in the Victorian Lounge, which is a great setting for high tea while watching the dappling of light filter in through the windows overlooking the garden.

Yet you could also spend hours in the reception area, admiring the faire forge railways on the staircase. Curlicues of wrought iron in an art-deco style compliment the considerably large Ottoman style glass blown chandelier that hangs from the ceiling of the hotel’s top third floor, spanning the height of two stories.

Try to catch the sound and light show at Karnak Temple or walk around downtown Luxor. A Jaguar car and chauffeur could be arranged for such an outing. Would a modern monarch also have gone to the show in such a ride? Quite possibly.

I missed the show due to bad planning on my part. It’s best to catch it as early in the evening as possible due to management cancelling shows if not enough people show up, which tends to happen later in the evening.

Downtown Luxor has not yet started to disintegrate in the manner that downtown Cairo has. It’s easy to mentally transport yourself to another era when walking around. Art deco, ancient Egyptian and local architecture all form this small town’s physical make up. Luxor is considered the world’s largest outdoor museum for a reason: it’s breathtaking at every corner.

Tutankhamun center stage at Frankfurt's 'Festival of Egyptian Culture'

By Maha ElNabawi/Special to Daily News Egypt                        November 14, 2011, 2:15 pm

http://thedailynewsegypt.com/art/tutankhamun-center-stage-at-frankfurts-festival-of-egyptian-culture.html

A sensational discovery 89 years ago by archaeologist Howard Carter turned the unknown pharaoh Tutankhamun into an international superstar. For years, Tutankhamun, his treasures and his tomb have been touring the globe with an ambassador-like presence in each city he visits.

Starting on Nov. 19 and running through April 2012 in Frankfurt, Germany, Tutankhamun takes center stage in an inaugural exhibition titled, “A Festival of Egyptian Culture,” organized by Germany’s leading concert promoter, Semmel Concerts.

A replica of Tutankhamun’s tomb chambers, true to scale and detail of the originals, will make the moment of discovery an attainable, three-dimensional experience for visitors. The replica tour began in 2008 and has successfully attracted nearly 2.5 million visitors from all over Europe including, Zurich, Brussels and Seoul.

Exhibited in a 4,000 square meter custom built gallery space, Tutankhamun will serve as the headline act of the festival — and for the first time, a rich, diverse program of contemporary Egyptian literature, music, visual arts and stand-up comedy in Frankfurt will accompany him.

“We see our exhibitions, always a little bit, as an ambassador for Egyptian culture. This exhibition is formed from a very serious scientific foundation and that’s why it is important to organize an interesting and rich program combining lectures with book readings, music and so on,” said Project Manager Christoph Scholz.

“While other Tutankhamun exhibitions may include lectures or book readings, typically they speak about Ancient Egypt, the Pharaonic culture and treasures. We will show this of course, but also for the first time we are showing contemporary Egyptian culture — music, art, book readings, movies, theater performances, comedy.”

Scholz told Daily News Egypt that Egyptian exhibitions are the most successful all over the world in museum rankings. He gave an example of National Geographic’s series, saying their best selling books, magazines and DVDs are about Egypt. Same goes with The History Channel and The Discovery Channel —Egyptian mania never goes out of fashion.

“A Festival of Egyptian Culture” aims to utilize Tutankhamun as an attraction to promote cultural dialogue and understanding between Egypt and Germany. Tutankhamun will act as a springboard for contemporary Egyptian cultural awareness in Germany.

“It’s important now to speak about Egypt, to support its art world, to invite known artists or young artists to Germany to start a cultural dialogue,” Scholz said.

“Tutankhamun [as a subject of the exhibition] is the motor, it is the stage, it is the platform and it is the marketing machine who creates for the Frankfurt audience a general positive atmosphere around the topic of Egypt. I want to use this momentum in order to present young bands, unknown artists and even completely unknown comedians to Germany.”

The festival kicks off on Nov. 15 with the photography exhibition “To Egypt with Love” in the foyer of the main exhibition hall on Mainzer Landstrasse (free of charge).

“To Egypt with Love” received notable accolade upon its highly successful opening this past March in Cairo’s Safar Khan Gallery. The group exhibition features the work of young photographers Alaa Taher, Bassem Samir and Hossam Hassan. The three artists ventured out into the heart of the January 25 uprising, capturing their different perspectives of the transformational uprising.

The exhibition will run through Jan. 22, 2012 and will also feature the 2009 video, “A774 Project: On Presidents & Superheroes,” by renowned visual artist Khaled Hafez. Both works are showing outside of Egypt for the first time.

Safar Khan Gallery will also present an exhibition titled, “Egyptian Art Today,” starting March 7, 2012, exposing contemporary paintings, photography and video art curated for the festival in Frankfurt.

On the first anniversary of the dawn of the Egyptian January 25 revolution, an exhibition titled, “From Facebook to Nassbook,” will open to commemorate the occasion.

“Nass,” the Arabic word for “people,” showcases the work of nine artists and their interpretation of the internet outage on Jan. 28, when people shifted communication from online social media back to word-of-mouth tactics.

The exhibit first opened in the Mica Gallery in London, shown during the “Shubbak Festival of Contemporary Arab Culture” in London earlier this year. It aims to expose how social networks have played a pivotal role in organizing mass protests in Egypt and the Arab Spring.

The festival hosts a number of book readings by both established and young authors. Khaled Al-Khamissi will be reading episodes from his bestseller, “Taxi.” The book offers a keen insight into the mindset of Egyptian politics and society before the revolution.
Additional notable literary highlights include: Mansoura Ez-Eldin discussing her 2010 novel, “Behind Paradise,” on the opening night of the fest.

Ghada Abdel Aal will be reading excerpts from her blog, “Wanna Be a Bride,” which has been published into a hugely successful book and was recently adapted into a TV series.

Revered novelist Gamal Al-Ghitani will discuss his acclaimed book “Pyramid Texts,” an exploration of the relation between Sufi mysticism and medieval Islamic history with ancient Egypt.

Celebrating what would be Naguib Mahfouz’s 100th birthday on Dec. 11, renewed German theater actor Ulrich Pleitgen will be reading from Mahfouz’s “Cairo Modern,” a novel written in 1945 that, nonetheless, speaks directly to the current realities of Egyptian society. The book was recently published in German.

Concluding the literary program of the festival, the Cairo-based bookstore Al Kotob Khan will present emerging authors not yet published in Germany, including, writers such as Yasser Abdul Latif, Mohamed Rabie, Al Taher Shargawy and Mohamed Abdel Nablin.

On Dec. 14, the “Egyptian Film in Frankfurt’s Cinema” will kick off a film series with Marwan Hamed’s adaptation of Alaa Al-Aswany’s best-selling novel, “The Yacoubian Building.”

Running through late February 2012, a gamut of films will be screened, including classics such as Youssef Chahine’s “Alexandria… Why?,” the restored version of Shadi Abdel Salam’s “Al-Momia” (The Mummy), combined with Ahmad Abdalla’s indie smash “Microphone.”

Topping off the festival will be a series of live performances, including theater, stand-up comedy and live music. On Jan. 28, a play by Thomas Rau titled “A Night with Nefertiti” will relay the story of the world-famous bust of the ancient Egyptian queen, currently on display at the Neues Museum in Berlin and what happens when she comes to life afterhours.

On March 8 and 9, also in the exhibition foyer, “Comedy from Kairo” will introduce Frankfurt to Egypt’s contemporary comedic culture in a two-day stand-up comedy performance featuring Rami Boraie, Mo’ Love, High on Body Fat and other comedians.

Coming to Frankfurt’s Gallus Theater on April 4 is Dalia Basiouny’s highly insightful monodrama, “Solitaire.” The one-woman play follows a decade in the life of a character in her thirties named Mona, starting with the Sept. 11 attacks in New York City and ending with Egypt’s Jan. 25 uprising.

Starting March 30 in Frankfurt’s famous music club “Das Bett,” Egyptian top electronic music band “Bikya” will hit the stage with the musical expressions of Mahmoud Waly, Mahmoud Refat and Maurice Louca, combining a unique sound of classic techno, funk, trip-hop and folktronica.

The music program also features “Nass Makan,” bringing together some of the finest traditional musicians in Egypt and Sudan, introducing Frankfurt to the more folkloric, traditional sounds of Egypt.

Rounding up the music series is Alexandria-based rock band “Massar Egbari” with their entertaining mixture of rock, jazz, blues and a few oriental elements. The group was recently named an “artist for intercultural dialogue between Arab and Western worlds” by UNESCO.

Arguably one of the largest and richest programs of its kind, “A Festival of Egyptian Culture” is a welcomed platform for cross-cultural dialogue between Egypt and Germany.

The program not only aims to expand cultural awareness but it also helps to mobilize the exposure of contemporary Egyptian art and literature, furthering the needed development of culture during a time of major socio-political upheaval in Egypt.

“Although Egypt currently has economic problems and political sorrows, when I’ve come to Egypt [post Jan. 25] I feel an open atmosphere almost like Berlin after the fall of the [Berlin] Wall,” Scholz said. “Suddenly galleries came out of the earth like mushrooms everywhere; you had graffiti and new art, comics, books and bands.

“Through this festival, we want to promote Egypt and tourism while expressing that Egypt is still a wonderful country. I hope we can transport this message in our German publicity of the festival.”

www.egypt.travel

Green Prophet’s Whirlwind Trip to the Siwa Oasis in Egypt

Tafline Laylin 

http://www.greenprophet.com/2011/11/greenprophet-siwa-oasis-egypt/

This was the plan: leave at 8pm Friday night from Turgoman station in Cairo. Arrive in Siwa at 5.30am and meet my friend Gwen from France at the Siwa Inn Hotel. Bestow copious hugs and kisses before finding Vivek, a Couchsurfing buddy who traveled from Alexandria. And then, after introducing my friends, relax in this beautiful oasis just 30 miles east of Libya before taking the Sunday overnight bus back to Cairo.

Here’s what really happened: the bus showed up with a broken belt, but I and a handful of other passengers, including a couple from Sicily, climbed on anyway. We were driven to a greasy junkyard, where we were given a bus that I was sure had not seen the light of day in months but that pacified a group of now grumpy Egyptian passengers. Finally, three hours behind schedule, bus #2 with the wheezy engine finally hit the road… and then broke down the following morning one hour shy of our destination!

Tafline’s whirlwind tour became even more of a whirlwind when the bus broke down not once, but twice, en route to the Siwa oasis near Libya!

Siwa is a colorful, sleepy town that lies in a depression roughly 30 feet below sea level. In the summer, fair-skinned people need not come by. But in November, the sun eases off during the day and the evenings are cool enough fo-r a camp fire.

The area is known for its dates, olives, olive oil, and a few other cottage industries. It is also renowned for its green building techniques (more on all of this to come). Because of its remote and tranquil location 350 miles away from the hustle and bustle of an increasingly-tense Cairo, it has become a popular destination. But this isn’t necessarily great for the locals, who are beginning to face serious water shortages. Although there are signs of destructive tourism operations, we received a rare look at the same soporific inner workings that have sustained this community for hundreds of years.

The population currently stands at roughly 23,000, comprised mostly of Berbers. While theyshare the same gentle, hospitable attitude of the Berbers that Karin and I met during our respective stays in Morocco, the Siwi language here is distinctly different.

Gwen and Yehia, a prominent local man whose 19 brothers and sisters (from two mothers, I should add) own a lot of agricultural property in and around Siwa, came to my rescue at the side of the highway at 9am on Saturday morning. Bus #3 showed up two minutes later, but we didn’t care. We left that bus in our dust!

It’s easy to lose track of time wondering among the dusty streets alongside donkeys and tuk tuks, watching young boys and men completing their daily chores, or else sipping sugary chai in the shade.

A short climb up the melted Shali fortress made of mud-brick and salt provides a wonderful sense of perspective. From the top, there are views of two small salt lakes, a valley full of leafy green palms used for pretty much everything, and the necropolis or mountain of the dead rises in a lumpy mound on the outskirts of town.

The planned group of three turned to six: the couple from Sicily joined our party, I called them Juicy and Crunchy, Vivek met Pierre from Quebec on his bus, Gwen spent the day meandering through town with us before leaving on Saturday night, and then there was me.. happy as can be away from the city again.

Stay tuned over the next few days for a peek at a group of woman in Siwa who make carpets under the army’s watchful management, the man who lost an eye to salt crafts, Siwa’s veteran green builder,and the man who makes olive oil that is good enough to drink…

Interview: Reviving Egypt's heritage hotels a smart investment

By Heba Elkayal/Daily  News Egypt                                         November 14, 2011, 5:16 pm

A woman by the name of Metzger won a court case in 2007 that decreed her to be the rightful heir and owner of Alexandria’s famed Cecil Hotel. The hotel was seized from the French-Jewish woman’s family in 1956 and was subsequently owned and operated by the Egyptian government for over 50 years.

Built in 1929, the hotel is an architectural gem on Alexandria’s sea front. Metzger then sold the hotel back to the Egyptian government for the (undervalued) low price of $8 million, essentially gifting Egypt with a landmark property that faced the possibility of being torn down by other buyers.

Private construction groups have been changing the face of cities across Egypt, including Alexandria, with the erection of high-rise buildings on sites where once stood regal palaces and villas.

Keeping a careful eye on the remaining heritage properties is Aly Abdel Aziz, chairman of the Holding Company for Tourism, Hotels and Cinema (HOTAC), which includes its subsidiary Egyptian General Company for Tourism and Hotels (EGOTH).

Abdel Aziz has been responsible for reviving multiple properties across Egypt considered heritage hotels, iconic in both their architecture and history.

“Luck,” says Abdel Aziz, has spared the Mena House Oberoi, the Gezira Royal Palace (now the Cairo Marriott & Omar Khayyam Casino) and the Cosmopolitan Hotel in downtown Cairo. These properties, in addition to the Old Cataract in Aswan, the Winter Palace in Luxor and the Luxor Hotel, have remained in their original form and are now part of EGOTH’s portfolio.

The Shepheard Hotel in Cairo, rebuilt after being burned down in the 1950s, is categorized as a heritage hotel for its historic significance, as are the Palestine Hotel in Alexandria and the soon to be Nile Ritz-Carlton (formerly the Nile Hilton). All are part of the portfolio managed by EGOTH under the brand “Historic Hotels of Egypt.”

Abdel Aziz is a charmingly intense character; with piercing blue eyes and a booming voice, he speaks passionately about managing and overseeing the renovation and restoration of these hotels.

Battered with age and neglect, or else having endured the disastrous decisions of bad management, the hotels are being slowly but surely restored to their former glory. Good aesthetic, taste and wise decision-making are vital when confronting the restorative challenges of these properties.

Working closely with the Supreme Council of Antiquities, Abdel Aziz has relied on the expertise of others when needed to achieve the best results. “When I need them to restore a 200-year-old fountain, I ask for help. What do I know about such matters as chairman of HOTAC? Nothing,” he said.

It’s quite a statement that what is essentially a government-owned company, EGOTH is doing a good job of restoring these properties. “That’s proof to you that when the government wants to do something good they can, but they just need the brains and the courage for someone to say: ‘Go ahead’ or ‘I don’t know’ or ‘I need an expert.’”

The Old Cataract Hotel in Aswan recently reopened after a three-year revamp.

“We had to give attention to this product and to do it right from the beginning. We could have had the restoration happening while operating the hotel, but I didn’t want to do this. My philosophy was to close completely for three years.

“All the pipes had to change, all the electro-mechanics of the building had to change. We couldn’t just paint the walls. I think the job was done in a proper way — by the book — and it was a team effort. Whether I was behind it or not…well one of these days somebody will [decide] that but not necessarily me. I will always say what I did was my duty: to preserve these hotels and bring glory back to these properties,” he said.

A restoration entails a complete overhaul of a building’s structure rather then a superficial or cosmetic facelift that occurs with a renovation. Abdel Aziz has taken both routes for EGOTH’s various properties.

With the Winter Palace in Luxor, slight renovations and refurbishments were made to the rooms for a temporary facelift until the hotel undergoes major restorations to bring it up to the caliber and quality of luxury hotels today.

The Mena House Oberoi has had annexes pulled down or restructured to make it more pleasant for guests; while the downtown Cosmopolitan Hotel will one day undergo restorations to recreate the beauty of this unique boutique hotel.

The decisions to pull down ghastly annexes that were more recently built, such as one in the Winter Palace Luxor, or to completely shut down a hotel’s operations, are made by Abdel Aziz personally. Such decisions carry possible risks that could be incurred in addition to the financial challenge. Great sums of money are needed for such large-scale projects, sums that were until recently self-financed by HOTAC and EGOTH.

A total of LE 470 million was spent on renovating phases one, two and three of the Marriott Hotel, and in four years time, the property saw a 94 percent return on investment (LE 410 million).

Meanwhile, LE 650 million will be spent on restoring and opening the future Nile Ritz-Carlton with a guaranteed return of $21 million made by the Ritz-Carlton company.

Before renovations were made to the Marriott Hotel & Omar Khayyam Casino, the annual returns were LE 130 million per year, increasing to LE 245 million per year after renovations.

“Renovation is important,” said Abdel Aziz. “The returns do come when it’s done right and I have a philosophy: when you do it, do it right or else don’t do it at all.”

Though the Jan. 25 uprising stalled the progress and tourism to Egypt has dropped, Abdel Aziz is not too bothered. “Though we budgeted returns of LE 270 million for one property, we’re now expecting to reach only LE 130 million. [But] we didn’t renovate these hotels for one or three years, we renovated [and restored] these hotels for the long term.

“Tourism will come back to Egypt. The Nile is here as are the Pyramids, the Sphinx and the Valley of the Kings. We are suffering now, but Egypt will remain.”

He adds, “My objective is that we restore all the properties in our portfolio. We now have to face receiving bank loans rather than self-financing our projects. The challenges are there but I think we’ve laid the foundation for the fight that should continue by other passionate individuals.

“If I remain for another year, I wish to accomplish about 30 percent more of the restoration needed. Whoever comes after me should be clever enough to take, not me, but the Old Cataract as an example of what to do in the future.

Blinded by a balloon ride

APARNA KARTHIKEYAN
http://www.thehindu.com/life-and-style/travel/article2618294.ece

How Aparna Karthikeyan hurt her eye in Luxor — but not before it had captured some breathtaking sights presented by the ancient land against the rising sun

“Please, can you show me your hip,” said the doctor, primly averting his eyes.

“But doctor,” I said, “it’s my left eye that’s injured.”

“Yes, I’m aware of that,” he said, in a clear, unaccented English, “but I need to give you this injection.” He brandished, from the depths of his bag, a large needle. First a prick in the eye and now this, I thought resignedly, and rolled over.

We were in Luxor, Egypt, staying in a sumptuously relaxing resort, the Nile hugging its backyard, slender palm-trees and white-sailed feluccas lending the rugged landscape an air of elegance, a touch of softness. After the heat and dust of Cairo, Luxor was a blessed relief, the deliciously cool air drifting across the Nile soothing the days, and chilling the nights. Having had our fill of the wonders of ancient Egypt and overwhelmed by its exhaustive history, we recklessly walked up to the travel desk and signed up for a hot-air balloon ride the next morning. And then spent the entire evening worrying if we had done the right thing…

Long before dawn cracked and cocks crowed, we piled into a bus to reach the pier to take a boat to the ballooning site. We hugged ourselves and rubbed hands to keep warm, until we saw the field with the balloons. It warmed us, mind, soul, everything.

Dotted all over the great, rolling sand-drifts, there sat tens of balloons, their multi-coloured canopies brilliantly lit by the roaring fire in their bellies, the people awaiting to alight bathed in a neon-orange after-glow. We were quickly ushered to our wicker basket (about the size of a small car) surrounded by some busy and several idle ground-staff, the whole set-up so reminiscent of India, that we couldn’t help smiling…

It was the last smile in a while though, until the balloon reached cruising altitude in any case, for it was quite frightening initially, the tongue of flame (the burner ably controlled by the pilot) flaring with sudden boom-booms to sweep more hot air into the nearly taut balloon. And when the ropes were finally released, we took off, dangling from the enormous red balloon, into a sky that was fast fading from a velvety purple to a blushing rose. The pilot, we quickly realised, was clearly experienced (though he teased us that this was his first flight too and asked us all to pray, hard) and extremely knowledgeable (then again, half the people we had met in the trip sounded like veteran Egyptologists!). He briskly pointed out monuments dotting the sands below and his witty quips, especially ‘that massive complex, over there, is the Hot-Chicken-Soup Temple’ loosened us up considerably. (‘Hot-Chicken-Soup’, we later learnt, was a corruption of the name ‘Hatshepsut’, one of Egypt’s celebrated woman Pharaohs).

The rising sun, in the meantime, decided to put up a spectacular show — for our sole pleasure, it almost felt — the fiery orange ball staining the horizon in bands of red, orange and pale butter-yellow. In a matter of minutes, the whole landscape visibly lightened up, the dull brown craggy hillocks suddenly glowing orange-gold, throwing long, silky shadows between their folds. By then we were ballooning-veterans, relaxed as we took pictures of the shifting images beneath us — one minute, a snapshot of the Nile, a thick blue ribbon snaking through the narrow verdant strip, many hot-air balloons leisurely floating over the jewel-green fields, looking very much like enormous, showy flowers. And the very next minute, we were drifting above the vast expanse of the desert, dotted alternatively by majestic ancient monuments and far more recent clusters of peasant houses.

All too soon (45 minutes, to be precise), it was over. We began our descent, skimming over other people’s terraces, peeping into their backyards, the humble peasant homes with their dark brown thatched roofs and white idli-domes, as frayed as anything from ancient Egypt. Cows breakfasted on dull-green scrubs, the washing hung limply from sagging lines, and in the distance, we watched fascinated as a small boy went about his business, on the back of a stout, galloping donkey.

The ground crew had already assembled and taken their positions, and when the basket neatly touched the golden desert sand, they took-over, helping the giddily happy passengers out. Collecting our ever-so-cheesy certificates, we took our places in the boat, and all it took was one terribly excited child wildly waving about the awfully sharp edged square of cardboard to ruin a perfectly glorious morning. The sharp edge pricked my left eye deep. I glared balefully with my one good eye, but it was no use — it needed all the ministrations of the kindly Egyptian physician the hotel recommended, and the massive doses of painkillers and steroids (which he insisted on injecting into my hip) to make the journey back home tolerable. A journey that has since remained memorable for loads of right reasons and one blindingly wrong one.

Atletico de Madrid Egypt to disconnect

11.09.2011 | Ball Point

Atletico Madrid players have posted photos of his visit to the pyramids of Egypt. Have been invited by the Zamalek on the occasion of its centennial. 

The athletes are in Cairo after being invited by the Zamalek on the occasion of its centennial. The Egyptian capital equipment is one of the most powerful on the continent and has in its ranks with Mido, the former Celtic striker, Ajax, Olympique, Roma and Tottenham.

According to the newspaper As , the commitment to bring 300,000 euros mattress club coffers. In addition, the trip will be used to recover the moral after the heavy defeat at Getafe in the last game of the season. 

The players have risen to their official Twitter accounts pictures of his visit to the pyramids of Egypt this morning. Reyes, Juanfran, Mario Suárez, Adrián and Dominguez have been those who have been encouraged to teach the cultural moment they are living players.

Apple has taken the 16 available players from the first team and also included Javi Manquillo, the right side of Junior A, which effected the preseason under his command. In fact the friendly played for Atletico measured in summer starting at the Gymnastics Segovia. Manquillo, with just 17, has been called and for working sessions with the Spanish national team U-19.

Egypt to Reopen Lower Nile for Two-Week River Cruises

Egypt's tourism authority has announced that the river Nile will be opened up for the resumption of the "long Nile cruise," the full 14-day voyage all the way from Cairo to Aswan.

Egypt's new minister of tourism, Mounir Fakhry Abdel Nour, said at a press conference in London yesterday that the cruises on the Lower Nile (confusingly, the northerly stretch of the river between Cairo and Luxor), would resume after a 16-year break. This is part of a plan by the Egyptian government to boost tourism numbers, which plummeted by 80 percent in February this year following the uprisings of the Arab Spring.

Currently, Nile cruises only operate between Luxor and the southerly city of Aswan; this stretch is known as the Upper Nile. There are virtually no licenses for operators to sail north of Luxor, so a typical visit to Egypt includes a few days in Cairo -- to visit the pyramids, the Museum of Antiquities and the Sphinx -- followed by a flight south to cruise the Upper Nile for up to a week.
The longer cruises, which take between 11 and 14 days, were stopped in 1994 for various reasons, including security concerns and the fact that the river was becoming severely silted up. Since then, docks have fallen into disrepair, so both dredging the riverbed and improvements to the infrastructure are all part of the new plan. When the government does start issuing sailing permits again, it will only be to boats with shallow drafts.
It could be argued that the big hits along the Nile are already accounted for in the short cruises, which take in the Valley of the Kings and Karnak Temple in Luxor, as well as Edfu, Edna and Kom Ombo on the way to Aswan, and the Temple of Philae once in Aswan. Apart from the Temple of Dendera, 37 miles north of Luxor, there isn't much of cultural note until the river reaches Memphis and Sakkara, just outside Cairo. But what this does mean is longer spells relaxing on deck, watching life on the river banks, a chance to see some lesser-known tombs at Beni Hasan and an opportunity for repeat visitors to Egypt to do something different; boarding a ship in the middle of Cairo and sailing all the way to Aswan is likely to have a certain romantic appeal.

Philip Breckner, commercial director of Discover Egypt, one of the U.K.'s leading Egypt specialists, told Cruise Critic: "This is great news. We haven't done these cruises for 16 years and it's really exciting that they are starting up again. We are planning to start these cruises in March 2012, subject to Egyptian government approval."

The announcement is so new that itineraries haven't even been planned yet, but watch this space for further details.

News Analysis: Egypt’s Tourism ‘on the Ropes’

Written by James Mullan

What’s the story? Egypt’s tourism industry is in serious trouble. Source: New York Times.


Can you give me some figures? Well, the good news is that 2010 was a record year for tourism in the country with nearly 15 million tourists taking in the multifarious delights of this splendid place.


And the bad news? The numbers are down 42 percent through September of this year, according to the Egyptian Tourism Authority. That’s around $3 billion lost.


I presume this year’s revolution had a lot to do with it? Revolutions and that care-free, what-should-we-do-today feeling don’t tend to get along too well.


But wasn’t there some talk about the ETA using the revolution to attract tourists? More than talk, they actually tested its effect in some research across key markets.
And the results? “People were happy for us about what happened, but they said, ’Don’t talk to us about the revolution,” ’ according to an official. ““You cannot sell Egypt through Tahrir Square.”


How’s the rest of the economy doing? At first glance not so bad. The other pillars of the economy – gas and oil sales, Suez Canal revenues and remittances from workers abroad – are either stable or growing, according to Central Bank figures.
Overall, economic activity came to a standstill for months, with growth expected to tumble to under 2 per cent this year from a robust 7 per cent in 2010. Official unemployment rates rose to at least 12 per cent from 9 per cent. Foreign investment is negligible.


So the government is taking immediate and rapid action on several fronts to get things going again? If by ‘rapid’ and ‘immediate’ you mean ‘sitting on their hands’ then you are correct.


Egypt’s notorious for its love of bureaucracy and its red tape. Surely this has been relaxed? Quite the contrary, it appears. According to Hisham Fahmy of the American Chamber of Commerce in Egypt: “The normal red tape has got redder.”


It’s enough to make a Sphinx cry. Indeed.
http://mideastposts.com/2011/11/07/news-analysis-egypts-tourist-industry-on-the-ropes/

'Welcome to the country of peaceful revolution'. Egypt aims to entice back tourists

By VALENTINA JOVANOVSKI

Countries involved in the Arab Spring have been plagued by images of rebellion, violence and upheaval. But now some of them are looking to bounce back as top tourist hotspots by launching new campaigns.Egypt and Tunisia, both relatively early members of the movement, have started promotional campaigns that emphasise their potential as safe and attractive holiday destinations.

"Welcome to the country of peaceful revolution’ is the slogan that Egypt has settled on after experiencing massive protests and demonstrations against former president Hosni Mubarak in early 2011, which led to his ousting.The campaigns have been included in a global trends report by market analyst Euromonitor International as part of the World Travel Market (WTM) opening today in London.

WTM chairman Fiona Jeffery said: ‘The speed at which the marketing campaigns have been launched demonstrates the importance the new democracies in Egypt and Tunisia have put on inbound tourism for their long-term economic future.
‘Tourism can help build up these countries’ new democracies and has the potential to do so across all the Arab Spring countries.’Another set of countries known as the SLIMMAs – otherwise referred to as Sri Lanka, Indonesia, Malaysia, Mexico and Argentina – were named by the WTM 2011 Industry Report as potential up-and-coming holiday spots of the future.Investments in ‘infrastructure and natural beauty’ mean this group of countries may rival Brazil, Russia, India and China – or the BRICs – as top tourist destinations.
Indonesia was praised for its unspoilt islands, while Sri Lanka’s infrastructural upgrades may lead more tourists to explore the Asian country following the end of its civil war.

http://www.dailymail.co.uk/travel/article-2058541/Arab-Spring-countries-aim-post-revolution-tourism-boost.html

Tourism in Alexandria After Arab Spring

WHEN the Arab Spring spread to Egypt on Jan. 25, culminating in the ouster of President Hosni Mubarak 17 days later, it brought an electrifying sense of achievement and — as travelers and tour operators know all too well — an unwelcome side effect: the crippling of Egypt’s tourism industry, the country’s major source of revenue and jobs.

A total of 14.8 million tourists came to Egypt last year, feeding $13 billion into the economy. But the number of visitors fell by 80 percent in the first month after the revolution, and the industry will probably finish this year down 25 percent, according to the tourism ministry. That is a loss of more than $3 billion.

“We canceled all of our departures for the spring,” said Tom Armstrong, the director of communications for Tauck Tours, which normally runs a dozen high-end trips to Egypt annually. Now, with the high season just beginning, “business is coming back, but it’s not back to what we’ve enjoyed historically,” he said.
“In the long term we’re optimistic,” he added, noting that the government’s “aggressive” promotion has helped restore a measure of confidence.
Those efforts have included TV advertising, news media junkets and a marketing push at tourist fairs in Europe, the United States and elsewhere. Mounir Fakhri Abdel Nour, the minister of tourism and former head of Egypt’s largest opposition party, said he spent much of last spring and summer “doing everything feasible to bring back the tourists,” including appearances throughout the Middle East and Europe to spread the word that the country is safe. A lobbying campaign succeeded in getting the southern Egyptian city of Aswan selected as the host last month of the World Tourism Day ceremony, an important industry event.
“Not a single tourist has been hurt, or had any problem since the 25th of January,” Mr. Abdel Nour said. In the midst of the revolution, banners in Tahrir Square, he said, “were asking tourists not to leave, and promising that they will be protected, which tells you to what extent Egyptians value tourism.”

In the United States, tour companies like Abercrombie & Kent say they are seeing an increase in interest, particularly among first timers taking advantage of low prices, politically aware travelers who wish to show support for Egyptian democracy and returnees interested in exploring newly accessible sites like the Avenue of the Sphinxes in Luxor, a 1.7-mile path linking the Temple of Luxor with the Temple of Karnak, scheduled to be fully renovated this fall.
Abercrombie & Kent ran all nine of its scheduled tours in Egypt in October. All were at close to their capacity of 20 to 24 people each, said Pamela Lassers, the company’s media-relations director. Dozens of tours scheduled through New Year’s 2012 are nearly full, she said, and the company has added two new departures next year for its family tour “Pyramids, Mummies and Temples.”
Tauck and Abercrombie & Kent have filled their Facebook pages with testimonials from recent visitors to Egypt, many of whom cite the absence of the usual crush at the Pyramids, the Sphinx and the Egyptian Museum; and the “optimistic spirit” and “good mood” of the people. “Right now is a great time

via travel.nytimes.com