CAIRO: More than 400,000 tourists have visited Egypt since July without a single reported case of coronavirus, according to the country’s tourism ministry.
Egypt’s Minister of Tourism and Antiquities, Khaled El-Anany, said preventive measures and safety regulations implemented in Egyptian hotels, museums, archaeological sites and tourist destinations had ensured a successful return to tourism amid the global pandemic.
Egypt opened its doors for visitors at the beginning of July, while cultural activities resumed at the start of September.
El-Anany also said that the World Travel and Tourism Council has awarded Egypt a “Safe Travels” stamp.
He highlighted the Egyptian government’s eagerness to boost tourism and support the sector during the pandemic.
Initiatives included incentives to travel companies and agents to organize trips to tourist destinations across the country, an exemption from visa fees and a reduction in landing fees.
As part of the ministry’s plan to merge beach tourism with cultural tourism, Sharm El-Sheikh Museum was inaugurated by the end of last October as the first museum to display archaeological artefacts in the region. The step followed the inauguration of Hurghada Museum as the first museum to display archaeological artefacts in the Red Sea governorate.
These museums will attract visitors to archaeological sites and museums in Luxor and Aswan as part of Egypt’s strategy to link Upper Egyptian cities with their Red Sea counterparts, and to make a variety of destinations available as part of achieving sustainable tourist development.
400,000 tourists visit Egypt with zero virus cases, says Cairo
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400,000 tourists visit Egypt with zero virus cases, says Cairo
- Egypt opened its doors for visitors at the beginning of July, while cultural activities resumed at the start of September
Three vessels hit by projectiles in Strait of Hormuz
- A projectile hit a container ship in the Strait of Hormuz, setting it ablaze
DUBAI: Three vessels have been hit by unknown projectiles in the Strait of Hormuz, maritime security agencies and sources said on Wednesday.
One of the strikes led to a fire onboard a ship and forced most of its crew to evacuate it.
The Thailand-flagged bulk carrier Mayuree Naree was targeted and damaged approximately 11 nautical miles north of Oman, two maritime security sources cited by Reuters have said.
The fire had been extinguished and that there was no environmental impact, a report by the United Kingdom Maritime Trade Operations (UKMTO) said later, referring to the incident. Necessary crew remained on the vessel.
Earlier, a container ship and a bulk carrier were hit off the coast of the UAE by unknown projectiles, UKMTO also said.
Traffic through the Strait of Hormuz, a key artery accounting for about 20% of global oil and gas supply, has dropped rapidly since the Iran conflict began on February 28.
The latest incidents increase the number of ships that have been attacked since the conflict began to at least 14.
(with Reuters)
