EGYPT TOURISM DOWN 41 PERCENT IN 2013

Cairo, 19 Rabiul Awwal 1435/21 January 2014 (MINA) – Egypt’s tourism revenue sank by 41 percent to $5.9 billion in 2013 compared to a year earlier, Tourism Minister Hisham Zaazou said on Tuesday.

The tourism sector in the Arab world’s most populous nation has shrivelled since the uprising crisis in 2011. After a slight improvement in 2012, tourism took another hit in 2013 due to the violent clashes that followed the ouster of ex-president Mohamed Mursi in July after mass protests against him.

Zaazou, in a text message confirmed Egypt’s tourism revenues in 2013 reached $5.9 billion. “The number is correct and for the year 2012 it was $10 billion,” he said, Ahram media reported as quoted by Mi’raj Islamic News Agency (MINA).

Tourism receipts in the first quarter of Egypt’s financial year, which starts on July 1, tumbled to $931.1 million down from $2.64 billion a year earlier, according to central bank data published last month.

The number of tourist nights spent in Egypt between July and September fell by 57 percent to about 15 million and the average visitor’s spending also dropped compared with a year earlier, the central bank said.

Egypt‘s crisis is already taking a heavy toll on tourism and the economy, with foreign governments advising against travel to the country, holiday companies scrapping tours and some businesses scaling back operations temporarily pending a resolution to the violence.

Tourism accounts for about 10% of the Egyptian economy. While leisure travel to the mainland, especially the southern city of Luxor, has dropped dramatically since the start of the Arab spring, bookings from Britain to Sharm el-Sheikh and other seaside resorts had dipped but remained relatively solid.

A spokesman said: “However, we’d expect bookings to be significantly impacted by current events specifically in those areas where the Foreign Office is advising against travel, notably Cairo and Luxor, which account for around 10% of British visitors.”

But excursions to Cairo and Luxor were cancelled and customers planning to holiday there were advised to call to discuss their bookings. The Red Sea’s recovery has been underscored by a boom in charter flights from Russia and Ukraine, as well as Germany and Italy.

British Airways has changed its schedule and operations to land planes in Cairo at times when passengers and crew can observe the 9pm to 6am curfew. It said the route had remained popular, particularly as many bookings originate in Egypt from people trying to leave. The route from Heathrow, primarily business in the summer months, has also been busy with bookings from foreign media crews. Many passengers transfer to or from the route at the London hub airport. .(T/P04/E1)

Mi’raj Islamic News Agency ( MINA )