posted
CAIRO: Travelling to Egypt may not be a bad idea this year, with the situation in the Pharaonic country returning to 'normal'.
The nation was in turmoil between February and March, but local youths have now launched a 'Safe Egypt' campaign and are wooing tourists from across the world. With Russia and China lifting travel bans, there are strong indications that India will follow suit.
For Mumbaikars, Egypt has been a preferred destination -with tourist outflow from the city increasing by 30% from 2008 to 2010, according to data provided by the Egyptian Tourism Authority (ETA).
The recent upheaval led to an 80% drop in tourist influx. The national carrier, EgyptAir, had reduced its flights from here from five to three per week.
"We plan to woo tourists from Mumbai by organizing an Egyptian food festival in the coming weeks. We will also have special performances by artistes to showcase a new Egypt," said Adel Masry, director, Egyptian Tourism.
He said Egypt was safe for family trips, especially to Cairo, famous for the Great Pyramids of Giza, the Sphinx, the Antiquities Museum and Nile cruise; to Luxor, which had the old world charm of Karnak temples, tombs of kings and queens, and to Sharm-el Sheikh, which gave the Red Sea its reputation as one of world's most extraordinary diving destinations.
The Egyptian tourism ministry is also likely to invite Indian celebrities and actors in Mumbai for a 'mega event' in Cairo from June 15 to 30. "We are inviting celebrities, actors and music bands from across the world as part of our country's image-building exercise. Tourism is vital to the country's sagging economy as it contributes to 11% of the GDP," said tourism minister Mounir Fakhry Abdel Nour. "We want Mumbai residents to visit Cairo and see for themselves that it is safe for tourists. In fact,Tahrir Square has now become our USP and is a tourist hotspot. Every tourist wants to visit this square which has become synonymous with our revolution,'' he stated. The military posted at the square too obliges tourists by allowing them to take pictures with the armymen.
Indian ambassador R Swaminathan said, "Egypt attracts high-value tourists from Mumbai, Delhi and Bangalore. The most preferred circuit is the Nile cruise."
When contacted in Cairo, the Indian ambassador in Egypt, R Swaminathan said, "Egypt attracts high value tourists from cities like Mumbai, Delhi and Bengaluru. The most preferred itinerary is the Nile Cruise or experiencing the Pharaonic culture in Luxor. It is also a conference destination for several Indian businessmen (mostly from Mumbai)."
This is also a time for Mumbaikars to take maximum advantage of the Egyptian economy which is rising from its slump.
"You can get the best bargains for shopping and also get good deals on airfares and hotels," said Mahmoud Mohye of ETA.
Engineer Hussein Massoud, CEO, EgyptAir Holding Company, said if there was more outflow of tourists from Mumbai in the coming weeks, the airline would restore its services completely. "We welcome Indians to our shores," he stated.
For shopkeepers at Khan-El-Khalili market in Cairo, Indians reminded them only of Mumbai-based actors Amitabh Bachchan and Shah Rukh Khan, both very popular on Egyptian soil.
posted