MOT: Egypt witnesses Comeback in Tourism

Egypt, whose hospitality industry was badly hit by the Arab turmoil in 2011, witnesses a strong comeback of travelers and tourists, Egypt’s Minister of Tourism Mounir Abdel-Nour said yesterday in Dubai.

Speaking at the ongoing five-day travel and tourism fair and congress Arabian Travel Market, which runs in its 19th edition, Abdel-Nour said that “the first quarter this year was already better than the first quarter in 2010.”

In 2011, revenues in the hospitality industry plummeted 29 percent, with overnight stays diving 22 percent. Due to the sharp decline, the entire country suffered as tourism is one of four central pillars of the Egyptian economy.

Tourism is representing 11.3 percent of the country’s GDP. In addition, the hospitality sector employ four million people and it is the number one source for Egypt’s foreign exchange reserves, the minister explained.

Abdel-Nour added that after tourist overnight stays fell in 2011 to 9.8 million from 14 million in the previous year, but he was optimistic that the strong results of 2010 can be even topped in 2012.

Nagui Erian, Vice President of the Egyptian Hotel Association, confirmed the rebound. “In the first quarter, overnight stays increased by 30 percent,” he explained. While popular beach resorts like Sharm El-Sheikh or Taba saw a 50 percent rebound in overnight stays at hotels, the situation in Cairo remains difficult.

“Occasional demonstrations are only happening in the center of Cairo. Our cultural sites like the Pyramids are absolutely safe, ” Erian claimed.

Minister of Tourism Abdel-Nour also said that his country has an image problem, especially in among potential Western tourists. “The biggest challenge for Egypt’s tourism industry is a change in perception,” he said. Cairo aims to tackle this challenge with a pro-active communication with the media and the tour operators abroad likewise, he added, according to Xinhua.