Egypt Struggle to Save Tourism

Egypt’s tourism is highly admired for its colossal beauty of pyramids, Nile Cruise and the glorious history that dates back to some 5000 years. It is an interesting place and people from across the world throng here for a tour and holidays. But in recent time, Egypt tourism is having tough time due to the political instability.To revive and to adjust the lost revenue streams, Egypt’s Ministy of Tourism is taking various steps to promote both domestic and international travel, according to Mahmoud Shukri of the Ministry’s Tourism Promotion office.The Government agency has allied with Ministry of Civil Aviation affiliates including Egypt Air, Egypt Express and Smart air to offer travel and holiday’s discounts and the rate drop to 80 percent year on year. One million tourists traveled to Egypt by the end of August this year. Hotel occupancy in Luxor was hard hit and there was only five percent during August and even the popular Red Sea hotels had an occupancy rate of 35 percent - which accounts to just 35000 tourists in total.Due to the sharp fall in the number of tourists visit, many of the hotels had to close their doors and the loss in the tourism directly hit the state economic health, especially in hard currency - as European travelers account for 75 percent of Egypt’s tourists.The new proposal schemes will offer short trips not exceeding to $144 per person and Egypt has approached to African countries especially Zambia and Zimbabwe and other countries like Portugal, Brazil, Argentina and Japan to entice tourists and holidaymakers to its pristine shore.Tourism Minister Hazham Zaazou said that “the government alone cannot kindle tourism,” commenting:“We say again to the world that guests here in Egypt are safe and secure and the differences in Egypt are an internal issue and no matter how much we disagree, we will find a solution”.Since the civil uprising in 2011, Egypt is financially crippled as foreign business failed and the tourist withdrew their attention from Egypt due to the political instability and civil uprising.