(AFP Photo)
The Ministry of Tourism is increasing its promotional campaigns in Eastern Europe to increase tourist flow next winter, according to Chairman of the Egyptian Tourism Activation Authority (TAA) Samy Mahmoud.
Mahmoud believes that Eastern Europe is a promising tourist source due to the increasing income of its citizens. He added that the ministry is convincing travel agencies located in Eastern European countries to facilitate direct flights to tourist sites in Egypt, especially Hurghada and Sharm El-Sheikh.
Sharm El-Sheikh International Airport will lead the way, hosting the first direct flight from Budapest next Saturday, according to a ministry statement.
The statement added that this direct route is considered a positive step towards the recovery of tourist flow to Egypt.
The available capacity of rooms in South Sinai’s hotels is 62,000 rooms out of 200,000 operating hotel rooms, according to the Chamber of Hotels.
Tourism Minister Khaled Rami met with Hungary’s Ambassador to Egypt Peter Kveck, as Egypt also seeks to boost tourism with Hungary.
The statement added that the ministry intends to strengthen cooperation, especially in health tourism, conference tourism and in the fields of renewable energy.
The Ministry of Tourism aims to increase tourist flow this year by 20% to reach 12 million tourists, compared to the 10 million tourists last year.
In 2014, the Egyptian tourist income amounted to $7.3bn instead of $5.9bn in 2013.
In October 2013, the Ministry of Tourism signed a protocol of cooperation between Sharm El-Sheikh and the Hungarian city of Heviz.
The protocol aims to increase tourism between the two cities and organise tourist exhibitions. The protocol also seeks the consultation of experts in order to get the maximum benefit of sulphur springs in South Sinai, such as Ayoun Musa in Ras Sedr, Pharaoh’s Bath in east of Abu Zenima and the thermal baths of the famous Moses Bath located in Tur Sinai.
According to the Vice Head of the Tourism Investors Association, Anwar Helal, the current hotel occupancy rate in Sharm El-Sheikh is at 40%, highlighting that this is the normal rate for occupancies in May.
Helal is expecting the occupancy rate to increase to reach 60% in September, when reservations for next winter start.
