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Egypt has been ranked the 23rd among the best 50 tourist destination and the first in North Africa. Egypt’s tourism represents 27.2% of the middle east tourism, revenues.1.2% of the coming global tourism, 1% of the world tourism and 3.5 % of the growth amount of the world tourism in 2007.
Egyptian tourism minister Zohair Garranah said that tourism directly and indirectly contributed about 11.3% of the national income and about 40% of the total Egyptian exports.
It, he resumed, also contributed 19.3% of foreign revenues, 12.6% of labour force, 40% of already implemented investments, 13% of the investment amount in service sector and 22% as a growth in the amount of investment in hotel and restaurant sectors.
Garranah pointed out that the number of tourists reached about 12.8% millions in 2008 with growth rate 15.3% .those tourists spent 129.2% million tourists’ nights with a growth rate 15.9%.
“tourism has achieved unprecedented revenues estimated at 10.98 billion dollars and thus it has also achieved a growth concerning the number of coming tourists which is higher than the 10% annual estimated ratio”- added Zohair Garranah
The minister confirmed that economic crisis impact in 2008 began since the mid August as the ratio of the accumulated growth during the first eight month of the same year, reached 25% then, it began to decline till reached 15.3%
“There are ten main markets that represent 63.9% of the total number of tourists coming to Egypt: Russia, Germany, Britain, Italy, Poland, France, Ukraine, Libya, Saudi, Arabia and the United States of America.” Told Zohair Garranah .
He also announced the steps that would be taken by Tourism Ministry to face the Global financial crisis such as the intensification of joint promotional campaigns with major travel agencies to maintain Egypt’s share in key tourism markets.
The tourism minister said that the ministry will focus on promoting and activating tourism coming from the Arab region as well as increasing promotional campaigns in all promotional means.
We will work to encourage low- cost aviation and support charter aviation in airports of Marsa Alam, Taba, Northern coast and Aswan together with focusing on Eastern Europe markets as well as states of high growth rates such as China and India” said Garranah
The minister stressed that the ministry is seeking seriously to improve the quality of services provided to tourists through increasing training programs and diversify.
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