Egypt’s tourism minister has announced ambitious plans to try to revive the sector, in distress after years of political turbulence.
Government data showed last month that tourism revenue dropped 43 per cent to $1.3 billion (€935 million) in the first quarter of this year.
Tourism Minister Hisham Zaazou said in an interview in Dubai: “The world will see tourism returning to Egypt. We have an ambitious global plan to show the world that it is safe and fun to visit Egypt anytime.”
Egypt’s Islamist insurgency has largely spared tourist sites, but last week suicide bombers hit near the tourist resort of Sharm El-Sheikh, killing a soldier and wounding at least eight other people.
Three South Koreans were killed in February when a bomb hit a tourist bus in South Sinai near a border crossing with Israel.
Zaazou said: “Our plan is to attract more than 25 million tourists by 2020. Revenues generated will double from the 2010 peak of $12.5 billion to $25 billion within the coming six years.”
He added that India, China and Latin America would be major target regions in a marketing campaign.
The sector hopes that Egypt’s political climate will become more stable.
Speaking in Dubai weeks before the country’s planned presidential election, Zaazou said Egypt is gearing up for a fresh new start with a new president and a parliament.
“Tourism in Egypt has its captive audience and the major flow of tourists will happen once the political scene is settled,” he said.
Egyptians will vote for the president on May 26-27 and Abdel Fattah al-Sisi is expected to win easily, meaning the former army chief who deposed Islamist President Mohamed Morsi could be sworn in as head of state by early June.
We have an ambitious global plan to show the world that it is safe and fun to visit Egypt anytime
Latest government figures show tourism currently contributes 11.3 per cent of Egypt’s GDP and brings in 14.4 per cent of foreign currency revenues.
More than 14.7 million tourists visited Egypt in 2010, dropping to 9.8 million after the revolution that toppled former president Hosni Mubarak. Things picked up in 2012, attracting 11.5 million but shrank again to 9.5 million last year after attacks on tourist destinations.
But the tourism ministry has launched a three-year marketing campaign in the hope of attracting people to the country, probably Egypt’s last hope for fixing its own internal finances without relying on aid from neighbouring Gulf states.
“We are currently negotiating agreements to prevent double taxation on airlines and tourist agencies.
“We want to partner with companies like Emirates Airline and Etihad Airways to bring in tourists. There’s a well-prepared plan in place,” Zaazou said.
Saudi Arabia, Kuwait and the United Arab Emirates pledged more than $12 billion (€8.6 billion) in aid to Egypt after the army toppled Morsi on July 3 following mass protests against his rule.
Zaazou called on companies in the United Arab Emirates such property developer Emaar Properties and hotel management firm Jumeirah to invest in the local market.