Egypt has received more than 2.5 million tourists since the resumption of inbound tourism on 1 July 2020, according to a press statement issued by the Ministry of Tourism and Antiquities.
International flights at all airports nationwide were suspended on 19 March 2020, as part of government efforts to curb the spread of the novel coronavirus (COVID-19) pandemic.
Inbound flights only resumed on 1 July 2020 to three governorates, as part of a first stage, namely the Red Sea, South Sinai, and Matrouh governorates. Tourism activities to Luxor and Aswan resumed in early September, with floating hotels allowed to resume work on 1 October.
Khaled El-Anani, Minister of Tourism and Antiquities, received a detailed report submitted by Abdel Fattah Al-Assi, Assistant Minister for Supervising Hotel Establishments, Shops and Tourist Activities, on the preparations for the summer season.
Al-Assi also outlined the ministry’s efforts to ensure the quality of services provided at hotels and tourism establishments. He reviewed their commitment to implementing the set precautionary measures and hygiene and safety controls, as well as the vaccination of workers.
The report indicated that the Supervising Hotel Establishments, Shops and Tourist Activities department at the ministry examined 207 hotels and 50 tourist establishments, including tourist restaurants and cafeterias in the Red Sea and South Sinai governorates.
Al-Assi added that work is underway to complete the examination of the remaining tourist and hotel establishments in the Red Sea and South Sinai governorates.
He noted that procedures for vaccinating tourism sector workers in the Red Sea and South Sinai governorates are being conducted in coordination with the Ministry of Health and Population and the Egyptian Hotel Association.
Al-Assi said that the vaccination process for all workers in the sector in these two governorates will be completed soon. This is due to these two governorates receiving the largest number of tourists in Egypt as a result of their open, beautiful nature, warm and sunny weather, and that strict precautionary measures have been implemented against the COVID-19 pandemic. These measures have been praised by the tourists who have flocked to Egypt since the return of tourism last July.
