JEDDAH – The Egyptian tourism ministry is planning two campaigns to rebuild trust in his country through airing tourism programs on popular television channels, said Egyptian Minister of Tourism Hisham Za'azou here Tuesday. Addressing a press conference, he said one of the campaigns will show live scenes of Egypt's public places projecting how “Egypt looks now.” The minster was trying to reassure that tourism in his country has “recovered” after political unrest which the country witnessed. He said 15 million tourists visited Egypt before the revolution. The number dropped, but recovered again hitting 11.4 million after the revolution. The ministry is relaying on its old friends and also is heading towards new markets including India and China. Egypt welcomed 375,000 Saudis in 2010 before the revolution. The number dropped to 198,000 a year later. “Egypt missed Saudis,” Za'azou said. He said the trust is “back again.” Some 241,000 Saudis visited Egypt in 2012.
Egypt, which focuses on Saudi individual tourists and investors, is creating more room for small to medium investments especially at its northern coast. The total value of Saudi investments in the tourism sector adds up to 4 billions Egyptian pound. Za'azou said that the Saudi authorities have increased the number of Haj visas issued for Egyptians by 7,000. So this Haj season 37,000 Egyptians will be arriving for the pilgrimage. Bandar Al-Fuhaid, the President of the Arab Tourism Organization, said it will set an Egyptian fund for poverty and unemployment. The study for the fund, he said, has been finalized and its budget can reach US$300 millions.
