Egypt State Information Service

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

For over 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 behind a huge amount of monuments and rendering Egypt a unique country on the map of international tourism.

Furthermore, Egypt is distinguished for its unique climatic conditions all the year long and its extensive coasts along the Mediterranean and the Red Sea that are notable for their tourist-attracting summer resorts and eye-catching coral reefs. Furthermore, Egypt embraces the great River Nile that extends from the south to the North, with its valley that houses a variety of tourist heritage.

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.

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

Since the beginnings of the 1980s, indicators of tourism industry have shown a remarkable increase in development. In addition, the state has always strived to establish a robust 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 those vast areas from the valley and turning them into economic, developed tourist centers, housing fascinating sea resorts and hotels, that abide by 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 on the establishment of the General Authority for Tourist Development to achieve the planned 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 tourist-attraction sites in addition to restructuring production and development centers in Egypt. Besides, 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 9.7 billion. These projects are distributed among Aqaba Gulf, Red Sea, Al Ein Al-Sokhna, Ras Sidr, the Northern Coast and Al-Areesh. It was also planned to establish 51 tourist centers of special tourist features, where all essential facilities were provided.

At present, Egypt adopts a number of tourist activation plans that resulted in salient achievements, namely diversifying the Egyptian tourist market and adding new tourist markets. These plans are mainly based on promoting the tourist marketing trend through an integrated campaign launched by both the government and the private sector, including all the basic factors of the tourist process at home and abroad. These factors were determined in light of studies conducted by Tourism Promotion Authority about the tourist market and the targeted tourists so as to realize Egypt's targets in the field of tourism promotion.

Within the framework of the tourist promotional policy adopted by Egypt, an integrated electronic gate was launched in seven languages, containing several electronic sites that provide miscellaneous tourist information that was accurately prepared 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.

Concomitant with the strenuous efforts exerted for promoting the Egyptian tourism in international markets, a new promotional campaign was launched with the advent of 2006 under the motto “The Gift of the Sun” and “Egypt… the Incomparable”. The campaign aims at highlighting the comprehensive Egyptian tourist product so as to attract more tourists to Egypt. The campaign is being conducted through all means of mass media, namely newspapers, television, shops, street posters and means of transportation.

Tourism in Egypt is one of the most promising economic sectors as it increases the national income and plays a pivotal role in providing new job opportunities for youth. In this respect, 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 in the field of tourist investment, thus creating more job opportunities for youth in the national tourist projects. In 2005/06, tourism sector provided about 120,000 job opportunities for youth.

Tourism means a lot to Egypt i.e. more than 8 million tourists annually, more than 80 million tourist nights, more than 1.6 million direct and indirect job opportunities, about 12.5 percent of the urban area and 11.5 percent of the gross domestic production. Due to Egypt's remarkable tourism-attraction features, the number of tourists has recently increased to hit 8.7 million tourists in 2006, while tourist nights amounted to 85.7 million nights in 2006. Accordingly, tourist revenues hit US Dollar 6429 million in 2006. Thereupon, tourism represents the main source of foreign currency.

The hotel sector is one of the most major effective sectors in the field of tourism. Furthermore, it enjoys a model geographical distribution; hotels and tourist villages extend in Egypt's main tourist cities and along its 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 1187 in 2006, and the hotel capacity increased to 170,000 rooms in 2006 so as to match the huge increase in the number of tourists and tourist nights. Furthermore, the existing marinas that extend from Cairo to Aswan were developed and new marinas established.

Cultural, monumental and historic tourism are considered the oldest and most salient types of tourism in Egypt as Egypt contains 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 and exhibitions tourism, eco-tourism and sports tourism, in addition to many recreational and cultural events that enrich the tourist product. Moreover, the diving centers tourism witnessed a remarkable robust that got clear in the increasing number of those centers that reached 346 centres in 2006.

With the aim of promoting tourist attraction, “the Vacations houses tourism” has flourished in 2005. This new type of tourism, in accordance with the ministerial decree No. 548 of 2005, entitles non-Egyptians with 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 attention was paid to reviving the itinerary of the Holy Family on the threshold of the new millennium. In addition, efforts are being exerted nowadays to revive the intinerary of A'al Al-Beit (Prophet Muhammad's Family).

Egypt possesses vast deserts and mountains which provide opportunities of fun and adventures for safari tourists. This kind of tourism is available for tourists in Saint Catherine, Mount Moses, al-Dakhla and al-Kharga Oasis, al-Ein as- Sokhna, al-Qoseir, Sharm el-Sheikh and Safaga. There, tourists enjoy watching wildlife animals and migrant birds.

Egypt is famous for its mineral and sulphuric springs, dry climate, 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 historical fame such as: Helwan, Ein al-Seera, Hurghada, Fayyoum, Oases, Aswan, Sinai and Safaga on the Red Sea Coast, all of which are attracting increasingly larger numbers of tourists. Safaga is famous for extraordinary effect in curing skin diseases.

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 6- thousand-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 and 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 component of tourist product as sports are now a principal source of attraction for all peoples of the world.

The most important sporting tourist sites are: al-Gezira horse riding club, Golf club, Shooting club and Sporting clubs on the Red Sea. Moreover, a club for water sports was inaugurated in Hurghada and Sharm el-Sheikh.

This is a new and very special kind of tourism that attracts tourists of markedly high-level income. The Ministry of Tourism seeks to promote it as new and lucrative source of tourist income. Egypt offers golf amateurs a chance to participate their favourite sport at high-level courses located in unique tourist areas as Luxor, Sharm el-Sheikh and Hurghada that won the title of “The most fascinating tourist destinations” in 2005.

In 2006, Egypt hosted, for the first time, Italy Golfing Final Championship, held in Stella De Mary, Al- Ein al Sokhna, with the participation of the private sector. All Egyptian and Italian mass media appreciated, with full recognition, the remarkable organization of the championship that was held in a genuine Egyptian atmosphere and on high-level playgrounds.

Egypt has a variety of fascinating beaches extending along both the Mediterranean and the Red Sea. The Red Sea is characterized by its clear water, colourful coral reefs, rare fish and varying mountains ranges almost verging on the sea coast, leaving a space wide enough to accommodate camping sites. Moreover, the coasts of Aqaba Gulf have many facilities of water sports such as diving, sea surfing … etc. 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 extending at a length of 40 km. Its warm weather encourages tourists to visit it nine months every year. In addition, the Northern Coast abounds in numerous new tourist villages along its coast.

Alexandria is characterized by natural bays and an extended coast running from east to west over 70 km in addition to a wide range of sandy beaches.

This is a new source of national income. Environmental tourism sites include nature reserves of worldwide fame such as Ra's Mohammad, Saint Katherine, Naqab in South Sinai.

Environment in Safaga is distinguished by natural scenery combining sea, mountain and desert. It is planned to convert the coastal area of the Red Sea, extending to more than 1,000 km into a huge nature reserve which will be the second largest in the world.

Festivals are a major source of tourism and media attraction, yielding considerable economic returns to organizing countries. Egypt organized numerous festivals that attracted abroad audience such as the following:

Tourism inside Egypt is steadily flourishing in new promising areas that are distinguished by remarkable hotels, fascinating beaches and wonderful tourist resorts, thus attracting more and more Egyptians to visit these places and consequently adding a new tourist product called “Internal Tourism”. Salient of these new tourist areas are as follows:

This area is distinguished by its moderate coastal climate, thus adding rare tourist 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. In 2006, many projects were carried out in the Northern Coast area, salient of which are:

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 m², with total invetments 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 area in 2006, thus placing Egypt on the International Tourist map and increasing the international tourist flows to Egypt. The hotel includes 400 rooms, under the first stage of the project that comprises six hotels extending over an area of 3,000,000 m², with total investments estimated at about LE1 billion .The project provides about 50,000 job opportunities for youth.

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 became one of the most major centers for attracting both internal and international tourism. In addition, Sharm el-sheikh is both a summer and a winter international resort adored by lovers of fishing, tourism and diving.

The city is located 395 km south of Suez. It is distinguished with its moderate climate all over the year and its clear water that turned it into being a tourism attraction center, especially for water sports amateurs. In addition, this wonderful city enables its visitors to enjoy watching eye-catching coral reefs and rare water creatures deep down the sea, using the state-of-the-art technology. The city abounds in hotels and tourist villages, thus it won the title of “the most fascinating tourist destinations” in 2005.

These oases are located in al-Wadi al-Gadid “the New valley” governerate in Egypt's western Desert, about 600 m from Cairo. This area is famous for both its desert environment and green lawns, in addition to its wells and sulphuric springs, thus became one of the most major tourism-attraction areas where safari, historic and environmental tourism flourish. In 2006, the corner-stone of the biggest tourist resort was laid down in this area. The resort comprises 54 rooms, many tents, sand baths, green areas, golfing playgrounds over an area of 97 feddans and at a total cost of LE 17 million.