Zaazou says tourism to Egypt able to face challenges, return to normal levels

Minister Hisham Zaazou and Egyptian Press

Egypt's Tourism Minister Hisham Zaazou has said the Egyptian incoming tourism is able to face challenges and return to its normal levels before the 2011 revolution.

During his meeting with the German tourist media club in Berlin, Zaazou said Egypt had always fought many competitions and overcome several challenges.

He noted that the Egyptian destinations lured 14.7 million tourists by the end of 2010 with revenues of 12.5 billion US dollars.

Zaazou had arrived in Germany to take part in the International Tourism Bourse (ITB) Berlin.

Zaazou will review efforts exerted by the ministry to bypass challenges facing the tourism industry in Egypt.

He will continue efforts to cancel German warnings on traveling to Egypt.

Minister Hisham Zaazou and Egypt's Ambassador to German Dr. Mohamed Hegazy

Minister Hisham Zaazou

Tourism Minister: Milan bourse true opportunity to promote Egypt’s tourist destinations

Wednesday, 12 February 2014

Minister of Tourism Hisham Zaazou said that Milan bourse in Italy which will kick off during Feb. 13-15 is one of the most important tourism exchanges in the world.

Tourism decision makers and representatives from all over the world would take part in the bourse, the minister said.

He added that the bourse is a true opportunity to promote the Egyptian tourist destinations.

A number of meetings with media outlets will be held with the aim of restoring the international tourism flow to Egypt, he further said.

Egypt eyes more Chinese tourists as travel advisory lifted: minister

The Egyptian Tourism Ministry is expecting more than 3,000 Chinese tourists in February after China has recently lifted the travel advisory for Egypt, Tourism Minister Hisham Zaazou said Tuesday.

"I am happy with the return of Chinese tourists to Egypt. I personally will receive some 500 Chinese tourists to thank them for choosing Egypt as their tourist destination," Zaazou told Xinhua.

Zaazou said he is contacting the Chinese authorities regarding the facilitation offered to Chinese tourists by granting them entry visas after their arrival in Egypt.

Egypt is suffering a sharp decline in tourist arrivals due to three ye
ars of turmoil, which led many countries to ban its citizens from visiting the country for their own safety.

"Tourists are not a target of any attacks based on domestic issues," Zaazou said, referring to the recurrent anti-government protests of supporters of ousted Islamist President Mohamed Morsi and relevant terrorism and violence.

"Tourist sites are completely safe," the minister added, pointing out that his ministry started to broadcast online live streaming videos of tourist resorts and sites like Sinai's Sharm el-Sheikh, the Red Sea's Hurghada and Upper Egypt's Luxor and Aswan.

Tourism is one of the main sources of national income in Egypt. About 4 million Egyptians work in the industry. In 2010, it brought the country about 13 billion US dollars as over 14.7 million tourists visited Egypt.

Since the political chaos following the ouster of former President Hosni Mubarak in 2011, the number of annual tourists decreased to 9.8 million. It returned to 11.5 million in 2012 after Morsi was elected as president, and declined again to 9.5 million in 2013 following his ouster.