Egypt State Information Service

Egypt has been a tourist destination for many centuries attracting philosophers, scientists, merchants, explorers and adventurers. Now, a comprehensive and varied tourist destination is developing all over Egypt where a tangible leap has been made in the infrastructure that allowed Egyptian and foreign capitals to be invested in a quick tourist development, specially on the coasts of the Red sea, Aqaba Gulf, Suez Gulf, in addition to the coasts of the Mediterranean sea.

Egypt enjoys a unique geographical location in the heart of the world between Asia, Africa and Europe, thus serving as a medium for all types of tourism to flourish due to the fact that it contains about one third of the world's monuments.

For more than 7,000 years, Egypt has been well–known for its remarkable historic heritage and deep–rooted civilization, thus became the melting pot for the Pharaonic, Greek, Roman, Coptic and Islamic civilizations to mix and interchange, leaving be-hind a huge amount of monuments and rendering Egypt a unique country on the map of international tourism.

Furthermore, Egypt is distinguished by its magnificent group of beach resorts. These resorts have the factors of a magnificent sea life, in addition to their mild climate all the year round and international hotel and tourist services. Thus, these resorts occupied a distinguished position on the international tourist map where the resorts of Sharm al – Sheikh and Hurghada are on top.

Tourism is one of the underpinnings of comprehensive development in Egypt, it is the main source of foreign currency and it absorbs a large portion of labor force. In addition, it is closely related to about 70 feeder and complementary industries and services, thus representing the industry of the future.

Hotel capacity in Egypt has realized a growth equivalent to the increase of tour-ists and tourist nights. As hotel capacity in July 2006 was about 175.000 rooms, rose to 187.5 rooms in July 2007. As to the capacity under construction; in July 2006 it was about 130.4 rooms, rose to 143.2 rooms in July 2007, as shown by the following dia-gram:

The value of the domestic product of restaurants and hotels reached about LE 43.736 billion in 2006/07 (expected). The private sector contributed to about LE 22.500 billion and the public sector by about LE 0.254 billion.

The domestic production value of the restaurants and hotels reached about LE 43.736 billion in 2006/07 (expected) of which the public sector contributed to about LE 511.5 million and about LE 43.225 billion by the private sector.

The tourist sector succeeded to attract huge number of man power and created job opportunities to youth which increased to reach 2 million workmen in 2006/07 (as expected).

The tourism sector has witnessed a tangible progress during the period (1981 – 2007). Tourist investments reached about LE 35 billion and the private sector has been encouraged to invest in the promising tourist areas through tax exemptions (extended to ten years), beside developing and improving the tourist utilities and services all over Egypt. This was reflected on having a leap in the hotel capacity, rising to 175,300 rooms in 2006/07. The number of tourists increased to 9.7 million and the tourist nights reached 90 million nights in the same year.

Egypt embarked onto implementing a programme for promoting the Egyptian tourism during the period (2006 – 2011). The programme mainly aims at attracting the private sector to pump more investments, estimated at about LE 8 billion, thus creating more job opportunities for youth in the national tourist projects.

Recently, Egypt's developmental map has completely changed due to the ongo-ing efforts to enhance tourist development. In this vein, tourism industry managed to create small vibrant towns, extend beaches and reached the depth of deserts to spread fine and modern living.

Since the beginnings of the 1980s, indicators of tourism industry have showed a remarkable development. In addition, the state has always strived to establish a robust huge infrastructure, extended up to the depth of the desert and the coasts of the Red Sea and Sinai, putting an end to the isolation of these vast areas far from the valley and turning them into economic, developmental and tourist centres, housing fascinating sea resorts and hotel and tourist products according to international standards.

Since the beginnings of the 1990s, a new developmental policy was adopted upon the issuance of the Presidential Decree No. 425 of 1992 and the establishment of the General Authority for Tourist Development so as to achieve the planned and integrated development through making optimal use of distinguished national and international expertise. Moreover, the establishment of this Authority came as a remarkable leap that provided all incentives and guarantees to attract investors to construct resorts, airports and new roads in the depth of deserts and along coasts.

Over the past 15 years, a number of new tourist communities were established in some remote areas, thus injecting life into such areas and turning them into tourism – attraction sites, in addition to restructuring production and development centres in Egypt. During the period (1992 – 2006), about 557 tourist projects were set up with a hotel capacity of 40,000 rooms at an investment cost of LE 7.9 billion. These projects are distributed among Aqaba Gulf, Red Sea, Al Ein–Sokhna, Ras Sidr, the Northern Coast and Al Areesh. It was also planned to establish 51 tourist centres of special tourist features, where all essential facilities were provided.

Within the framework of the tourist promotional policy, an integrated electronic gate was launched in seven languages, containing several electronic sites that provide miscellaneous tourist with accurately prepared information with the aim of attracting tourists from all over the world. In addition, the project aims to set an electronic educational system that targets the tourist agents abroad so as to upgrade their information about Egypt and introduce them to the factors of the tourist process and the new tourist product.

Furthermore, it enjoys an excellent geographical location as hotels and tourist villages extend in the main tourist cities and along Egypt's coasts, in addition to the floating hotels that cruise the Nile and Nasser Lake behind the Dam, thus enhancing Nile tourism that enjoys international fame.

The hotel sector witnessed a tangible leap, the number of hotels, tourist villages and floating hotels amounted to 1340 in 2006/07 and the hotel capacity increased to 175,300 rooms in 2006 so as to match the huge increase in the number of tourists and tourist nights. Furthermore, the existing marinas which extend from Cairo to Aswan were developed and new marinas established.

Cultural, monumental and historic tourisms are considered the oldest and most salient types of tourism in Egypt, thanks to several Pharaonic, Greek, Roman, Coptic and Islamic monuments.

Recently, Egypt's tourist products were upgraded to serve wider segments of tourists all over the world by introducing new types of tourism namely archeological tourism, sea tourism, recreational tourism, religious tourism, therapeutic tourism, desert safari, international conferences, exhibitions tourism, eco-tourism and sports tourism, in addition to many recreational and cultural events that enrich the tourist product. Moreover, the diving centres tourism witnessed a remarkable robust.

With the aim of promoting tourist attraction, "the Holiday Houses tourism" has flourished in 2005. This new type of tourism provides non-Egyptians, in accordance with the ministerial decree No. 548 of 2005, the right of ownership and usufruct of small units for residence in some new urban areas and some distinguished tourist areas in Sidi Abd el–Rahman, Hurghada, the Red Sea and Marsa Matrouh.

It is considered the oldest type of tourism in Egypt. In addition, it stands as a vivid example of the greatness of Egypt's successive civilizations over ages.

In view of the importance of Egypt's civilization and religious heritage, due at-tention was paid to reviving the itinerary of the Holy Family at the outset of the new millennium. In addition, efforts are being exerted nowadays to revive the itinerary of A'al Al-Beit (Prophet Muhammad's household).

Egypt possesses vast deserts and mountains which provide fun and adventures for safari tourists. This kind of tourism is available in Saint Catherine, Mount Moses, al-Dakhla and al-Kharga Oasis, al-Ein as-Sokhna, where tourists can watch animals and migrant birds.

Besides beach resorts tourism and safari, a new kind of tourism has begun to at-tract big numbers of tourists; that is visiting mountain and desert caves in Al A'wainat Mountain and Al Galf Al Kabeer, on whose walls there are coloured drawings of pre – historic man; depicting scenes of individuals and animals who lived in that age. Such drawings are similar to those of the famous artist Picasso in their simplicity. Tourists from all over the world come to this area which dates back to 7 thousand years.

Egypt is famous for its mineral and sulphuric springs, dry climate, and a sandy and clay soil, good for curing various diseases. In addition, some of its beaches and coastal waters have peculiar curative natural properties.

Egypt possesses a wide range of sulphuric and mineral springs with unique chemical composition. It was proved that these springs have therapeutic properties that can cure numerous bone, kidney, skin and gastrointestinal diseases.

Tourist sites offering curative services in Egypt are numerous and are of histori-cal fame such as: Helwan, Ein Seera, Hurghada, Fayyoum, Oases area, Aswan, Sinai and Safaga on the Red Sea Coast, all of which attract larger numbers of tourists and is famous for its black sand which cure skin diseases

It represents a significant type of tourism that involves high tourism revenues. Cairo International Conference Center (CICC) is a major illustrious façade for such type of tourism.

The centre is well equipped with the state–of–the–art technical facilities. Recently, Egypt has hosted the first international bourse of tourism named Mediterranean Bourse. Over the past six years, this type of tourism achieved a constant increase, the total number of major events held in the (CICC) reached 665, of which 132 are national and international conferences, 235 exhibitions and 298 parties and concerts.

Due to the great demand for international conferences and exhibitions, a 6000–m2– show hall was added to the (CICC), thus bringing about high revenues that hit about LE 115.3 million.

In 2006, conference and exhibition tourism witnessed a remarkable robust where several outstanding international conferences were held in Egypt, namely Davos Economic Forum in Sharm el-Sheikh and Woman Conference for businesswomen in Cairo.

Sports tourism is considered a significant means of tourism attraction, thus add-ing further pleasure to all tourists. The most important sporting tourist sites are: al-Gezira Horse Riding Club, Golf Club, Shooting Club and the sports clubs in the Red Sea area and the water sports clubs in Hurghada and Sharm el-Sheikh.

This is a new and very special kind of tourism that attracts important tourists. Egypt offers golf amateurs a chance to practice their favourite sport at distinguished courts located in unique tourist areas as Luxor, Sharm el-Sheikh and Hurghada.

Egypt has more than fifteen golf courts now, Ten of these are entitled PGA, the matter which qualified Egypt to be chosen by the International Organization of the Golf Trips in 2006 to host the Italy championship finals held on Stella De Mary Courts in al Ein el Sokhna with the participation of the private sector. The Egyptian and Italian Media praised the preparations of the finals in an Egyptian atmosphere and according to international standards.

Egypt enjoys magnificent beaches extending along both the Mediterranean and the Red Sea. The Red Sea is distinguished for its clear water, colourful coral reefs, rare fish and varying mountain that extend along the sea coast, leaving a space only wide enough to accommodate camping sites. Moreover, the coasts of Aqaba Gulf have many facilities for water sports such as diving and sea surfing.. In the Red Sea region, Safaga is the centre of beach tourism due to its excellent location on the Suez Gulf and its magnificent beaches that extend to a distance of 40 Km. Its warm weather encourages tourists to visit it nine months a year. In addition, the Northern Coast is characterized by the new tourist villages along its coasts.

It is a source of national income. Environmental tourism sites include nature re-serve of worldwide fame such as Ra's Mohammad, Saint Catherine and Naqab in south Sinai.

A project on training the coastal area of the Red Sea, extending to more than 1,000 Km into a huge nature habitat which will be the second largest in the world.

Yacht tourism is a new kind of tourism in Egypt. The Mediterranean area is considered an important tourist center of this kind on the international level, where 30,000 yachts sail in the area annually.

It is located on 60,000 m and accommodates 188 yachts. It has 128 housing units and hotel apartments. It is an international step on the road to developing the yacht tourism.

Porto Marina is a city on the Mediterranean Sea that has a yacht seaport which accommodates 1400 yachts. It is the first yacht seaport in Africa and has a lot of amusement centers and recreational places.

Festivals are a major source of tourism and media attraction due to their consid-erable economic returns on the organizing countries. Egypt organized numerous festivals that attracted large audience such as the following:

Tourism inside Egypt is steadily flourishing in the new promising areas that are distinguished by remarkable hotels, fascinating beaches and wonderful tourist re-sorts, thus attracting more and more Egyptians to visit these places and consequently adding a new tourist product called "internal tourism".

This area is distinguished by its moderate coastal climate, thus adding rare tour-ist potentials to the whole area and rendering it a source of a huge national wealth. Work is underway to develop and reconstruct the area through implementing a number of major tourist projects. Salient projects carried out in the Northern Coast area are as follows:

A mega tourist project is being carried out in Sidi Abd el-Rahman area with the aim of developing, reconstructing, and turning the whole area into an international tourist resort. The project is being constructed over an area of about 6,200,000 m with total investments estimated at about LE 7 billion. The project aims at adding about 3000 hotel rooms, golfing playgrounds and a high – standard marina, in addition to providing sport and recreational activities and shopping centers. On the other hand, the project aims at providing job opportunities for youth.

It is the first international hotel to be inaugurated in the Northern Coast in 2006, thus placing Egypt on the international Tourist map and increasing the international tourist flows to Egypt. The hotel includes 400 rooms in the first stage of the project that comprises six hotels extending over an area of 3,000,000 m with total investments estimated at about LE 1 billion.

Sharm el-Sheikh is located at the Aqaba Gulf in the eastern north of Sinai Peninsula. It is bounded to the north by Nabq Reserve and to the south by Ras Muhammad Reserve. It extends along the coast of A'qaba Gulf at a length of 18,5 Km . The city enjoys unique natural and environmental potentials and outstanding features, thus it became one of the major centers for attracting both internal and international tourism. In addition, Sharm el-Sheikh is both a summer and winter international resort adored by lovers of fishing, tourism and diving.

The city is located 395 Km south of Suez and is distinguished with its moderate climate all over the year and its clear water that turned it into a tourism attraction center, specially for water sports amateurs. In addition, this wonderful city enable its visitors to enjoy watching eye – catching coral reefs and rare water creatures deep down the sea, using the state – of – the – art technology. Its beautiful hotels and tourist villages qualified it to win the title of the "most fascinating tourist destinations" of 2005.

It lies in Egypt's Western Desert, about 600 m from Cairo. This area is famous for both its desert environment and green areas, in addition to its wells and sulphuric springs, thus becoming one of the major tourism-attraction areas where safari, historic and environmental tourism flourish. In 2006, the cornerstone of the biggest tourist resort was laid down in this area. The resort comprises 54 rooms, many tents, sand baths, green areas and golfing playgrounds over an area of 97 feddans and at a total cost of LE 17 million.