A report by the Egyptian Tourism Authority reveals that 9.5 million tourists visited the country in 2013, 71% of which chose destinations in the region of South Sinai and the Red Sea which include popular tourist destinations such as Sharm El Sheikh and Hurghada.
However, visitor numbers from Arab states had decreased in light of the ongoing political uprising in the country. 21,000 Emirati tourists visited the country compared to 27,000 in 2012.
Similarly, 208,000 Saudi tourists visited the country compared to 242,000 in 2012, while 83,000 Kuwaiti tourists visited the destination compared to 96,000 in 2012.
The governates of South Sinai and Red Sea were least impacted by the political turmoil in Egypt due to their geographic location far away from the capital of Cairo.
However, the situation in Cairo did affect the region, which is reflected in the quarterly report - two million tourists visited South Sinai and the Red Sea during the first quarter of 2013, while during the second quarter, the number of tourists reached more than 2.1 million – an increase of 4%.
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The third quarter, which coincided with the revolution on June 30 saw a 45% decrease in tourist numbers to 1.1 million, while the fourth quarter saw the arrival of 1.3 million tourists, an increase of 18% compared to Q3.
Egyptian minister of tourism His Excellency Hisham Zaazou said: “The tourism figures for 2013, where we saw a significant increase in the number of tourists visiting Egypt in the first half of the year as well as a strong recovery at the end of the year, reflect the confidence tourists have around the world in Egypt’s political and security situation.”
“Additionally, the statistics from Sharm El Sheikh and Hurghada show vital indicators, as they highlight the continued influx of tourists to these two destinations, regardless of political circumstances – emphasising the tourists’ belief in both locations’ security and safety,” he added.
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