Zazou: Egypt's tourism revenue to drop by 39 percent

CAIRO, Egypt - Tourism earnings are expected to drop by 39% year on year to EGP 6.5bn by the end of 2013, according to Minister of Tourism Hisham Zazou.

Zazou attributed this decline to the travel warnings on Egypt issued by several countries in mid-August of 2013.

Zazou added that his ministry was working on reducing the drop in earnings by using the winter season to increase tourism promotions in all markets, specifically European markets, pointing out that the past November saw 672,000 tourists as opposed to 559,000 in October of 2012. He also said that tourism earnings from January to October 2013 reached EGP 5.6 bn.

Speaking to Al-Borsa newspaper at the start of the Luxor Film Festival for Egyptian and European Films, the minister explained that the country’s tourism usually decreases during the first half of December, and reassured Egyptians that it would increase again around Christmas and the beginning of the New Year.

Zazou said the average occupancy in the Red Sea and South Sinai is rising because travel bans have been lifted. Average occupancy has risen to 35% in Sharm El-Sheikh and 40% in the Red Sea Governate (which includes Hurghada, where most hotels are located), he added.

The ministry pointed out that initiatives set to begin in February will target attracting tourists through providing incentives to use charter flights and Egyptian hotels and on bringing more Arab tourists to Egypt.

On increasing the capital of AirCairo, a domestic carrier, Zaazou said, “at this time, the ball is in AirCairo’s court. The ministry is still awaiting the valuation studies from the company.”

Al-Borsa had reported that the Ministry of Tourism was planning on increasing the capital of Air Cairo, with 60% of funding to be provided by Egypt Air and with equal shares of 20% to be provided by the National Bank of Egypt and the Bank of Egypt.

AirCairo has expressed interest in increasing its fleet from four to eight planes. The Ministry of Tourism has meanwhile highlighted the need for additional charter flights to make up traffic lost to competing tourist destinations.

@http://www.eturbonews.com/40903/zazou-egypts-tourism-revenue-drop-39-percent

Ministries collaborate in launching e-bazar to promote tourism

The Ministry of Communication and Information Technology and the Ministry of Industry and Foreign Trade have signed a memorandum of understanding to launch an e-bazar to promote Egypt’s heritage.

The project involves the creation of an e-portal to include products created by young producers and companies throughout Egypt.

According to a statement from communication ministry, technology companies, banks and distribution institutions such as Egypt Post will implement the project to support young producers in industries and handicrafts.

The agreement, signed by both ministers, is a cooperative effort between The Ministry of Communication’s Information Technology Industry Development Agency (ITIDA) and the Ministry of Industry’s  Egyptian International Trade Point (EITP).

Amongst the objectives of the project is to develop e-catalogues of Egyptian industries and productions that are listed in ITIDA, to be showcased online.

The e-bazar is to be marketed online through EITP and other e-marketing companies in order to increase exports and sales of products worldwide. It is also expected to develop youth skills in photography, e-cataloguing and e-marketing through training programs by specialised companies and communication ministry affiliates.

“The e-bazar is expected to generate concrete economic revenue due to the increase of exports, job creation, more opportunities for business development for IT companies in general and website development, e-catalogues and e-marketing companies in particular,” read the statement.

In keeping with the government’s trend towards implementing electronic systems to improve the efficiency, a national strategy for developing the electronic industry was launched last week during the events of Cairo ICT exhibition. This involves developing an electronic manufacturing services and integrated circuit (IC) design industry.

The plan aims to employ 30,000workers in the manufacturing field by 2020, in addition to establishing 50 companies in Microelectromechanical systems (MEMS) designs and ICs.

@http://www.dailynewsegypt.com/2013/12/18/ministries-collaborate-in-launching-e-bazar-to-promote-tourism/

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