ARAB tourists account for 21.2 per cent of total tourist numbers into Egypt, according to the country’s tourist board.
This is at least in part due to increased connectivity and pocket-friendly air ticket prices.
Despite incidents occurred in Egypt in 2006, tourism activity has proven its potential with an increase of 5.5 per cent in the total number of visitors over 2005.
Total visitor inflows into Egypt last year were 9.1 million.
Of these, Europeans comprise over 60 per cent. Arab tourists were up 12 per cent in 2006, comprising just about a million tourists.
Total tourist nights were 90 million, or an increase at a rate of five per cent over 2005.
The Egyptian Tourism Authority has an ambitious strategic programme which aims to double visitor numbers, from 8 million in 2004 to 16 million in 2014. This will be achieved by upgrading industry facilities and increasing the incoming flow to Egypt through opening new tourists markets like China and India, by opening new tourist destinations like Marsa Alam, the Mediterranean Coast and promoting new kinds of tourism, such as yachting, golf and shopping. These strategies will be underpinned by a widescale marketing and promotion campaign.