Hilton hotels in Egypt have lined up a special tailor-made package specifically targeting the Arab and GCC travellers this summer.

The Layali Hilton Cairo package starting at $72 per night is available at the Nile Hilton, Ramses Hilton and Hilton Pyramids Golf Resort during July and August, said Carmen Ramzy, the regional director of public relations at Hilton International Egypt.

He said the government was facilitating regional tourism by easing entry rules as well as allowing charter flights from countries like Kuwait and Saudi Arabia to resort areas such as Sharm El Sheikh and Hurghada.

Visits to Egypt by Arab travellers, who now get a 72 hour visa on arrival, are also being facilitated through the committee of Arab tourism ministers in terms of easier entry visas, hotel rates and services as well as charter rights to specific tourist destinations.

Ramzy said that Egypt which had been hit hard by the September 11 and Middle East crisis, had been able to offset some of the impact recently with growing business from Germany and Russia.

"Tourism, like any other sector of business, depends on demand and supply. In Egypt, demand is becoming greater in new destinations such as Marsa Allam, south of Hurghada and demand by new markets for Sharm El Sheikh as well as Alexandria is also increasing," said Ramzy.

He said the recent rebuilding of the historic Alexandria Library had helped place the city back on the cultural map.

This year will see up to 3 new Hilton openings including 225 room Hilton Alexandria Green Plaza, the 300 room Hilton Sharks Bay and the 176-room Hilton Ras Sudr in South Sinai.