SURGE IN VISITORS BOOSTS TOURISM
Record-breaking numbers in 2003 raise confidence that ambitious targets can be achieved

Guest numbers are up at the Jolie Ville hotels in Sharm El Sheikh and Luxor

Egypt’s tourism industry has high hopes for 2004 following the arrival of a record-breaking number of visitors last year. Red Sea resorts were packed in the second half of 2003, boosting confidence that the country’s key foreign currency earner is well and truly back on course.

Minister of Tourism Mamdouh El-Beltagui says, “Egypt is witnessing a boom. The tourism industry has weathered the storms and completely recovered from the war on Iraq, the ongoing Palestinian-Israeli conflict, and other international predicaments that made the sector sluggish.”

Offering a year-round mild climate, 1,600 miles of beaches, a unique archeological and cultural heritage, the Nile, and a wide range of modern tourism products ranging from golf to health tourism, Egypt lacks nothing in terms of attractions. And, as the aftershock of the events of September 11 has faded, European tourists have flooded back, joining the large numbers of visitors from Egypt’s neighboring countries.

Almost 6.5 million travelers visited last year—Egypt’s highest annual figure. The Europeans came mostly from Italy, Germany, France, and the UK, with Libya and Saudi Arabia topping the list of Arab states. Visitors have also been staying longer—an average of nine nights, as opposed to six in 2000.

American tourists have remained more cautious, and the Egyptian authorities are at pains to point out that, in addition to its unique appeal, Egypt is perfectly safe to visit. “Egypt is truly the cradle of civilization. It is an open historical museum,” says Dr. El-Beltagui. “The culture of Egyptians is coexistence, welcoming people, and friendliness.”

The recent upsurge in visitors has been apparent at the Jolie Ville group of hotels—the Mövenpick Resort and Casino and the Mövenpick Golf and Resort, both in Sharm El Sheikh, and the Mövenpick Luxor Resort—which are part of the HKS Group.

Most businessmen believe that Egypt has the potential to double its present visitor figures to 12 million a year within the near future, bringing an income of about $12 billion.

Samih Sawiris, Chairman of Orascom Hotel Holdings (OHH) and Orascom Projects and Touristic Development (OPTD), which built the Red Sea resort of El Gouna, is convinced that Egypt can attract both large numbers of visitors and more demanding top-dollar tourists.

“There is absolutely no contradiction in having rich and selective clients together with mass tourism,” says Mr. Sawiris. “There is nothing to stop Egypt from being a successful tourist destination for everybody.”