‘WELCOME to the country of peaceful revolution’, is Egypt’s brand new campaign which was launched at the recently concluded ITB 2011 in Berlin.
In fact the peaceful revolution has been the theme dominating Egypt, where tourism is a large contributor to the country’s economy.
New Egyptian tourism minister Mounir Fakhry Abdel Nour, who unveiled the campaign, said the country expects a speedy rebound in visitor numbers and the year to finish with arrivals close to the level of last year.
The previous slogan of ‘Egypt, where it all begins’ will also hold true according to Amr El Ezabi of the Egyptian Tourism Board, since it reflects the optimism that the country and its people feel today and want to spread to the rest of the world.
El Ezabi said: “We are confident that tourism in Egypt will be much better in the medium-term and in the long-term, its potential will be realised to the maximum. The country is in a good position today and with democracy; it is the beginning of good things to come.
“A more democratic system means better communication, which in turn will see better systems at every level, from transportation and hotel infrastructure to environment and tourism products – everything will be better.”
El Ezabi acknowledged that Egypt has definitely suffered a short-term fall in tourism arrivals due to the political unrest but said he expects visitor numbers to bounce back by the end of the year with the launch of the tourism authority’s new campaign.
“We are determined to do whatever it takes to regain the confidence of the travellers,” he said. “And for this we need to send out a message of confidence that Egypt continues to be a safe destination for tourists.”
The country had an excellent year in 2010, with more than 14 million arrivals representing a 17.5 per cent increase compared to 2009. “We hope to achieve the same figures in 2011 despite everything,” El Ezabi added.
According to the minister, today tourists in Egypt have so much more to discover. “Yes, there are the traditional museums, sun and beach offerings, but they also have the opportunity to explore beyond it all,” he explained. “We want our tourists to explore Egypt and discover the country for its history, its society and its people. Egypt will also open its doors to backpackers who prefer to explore the country inside out rather than just stay on an itinerary. Egypt is no longer just a closed or static museum, but a living museum.”
The country has plans to boost its marketing campaigns by focussing on increased participation at international events and pushing into new markets.
“Our priorities with our traditional source markets will remain strong but we want to open new segments for them such as golf tourism and introduce them to Egyptian music, art galleries and literature. This is sure to appeal to a lot of young tourists” said El Ezabi.
Egypt has also confirmed that it has signed on to be ITB Berlin’s partner country for next year’s edition of the world’s largest travel exhibition.