Spike in number of German tourists visiting Egypt

CAIRO - 9 July 2017: “The influx of German tourists to Egypt has increased by 35 percent this year to reach half a million tourists during the period from January to June 30 2017,” said Badr Abdel Aati, ambassador of Egypt in Germany in a press release at the Egyptian embassy in Berlin on Saturday. Abdel Aati’s statement was made in the presence of Ashraf Mansour, chairman of the board of trustees of the German University.

"We aim to reach one million German tourists this year, and to surpass the largest number in the history of Egyptian-German tourism, which was achieved during 2010 as 1.4 million tourists,” Abdel Aati added.

He pointed out that the indicators predict that the number of German tourists during the year 2017 will break the barrier of one million tourists, especially with the expansion of charter flights to 130 flights a week, as well as the expansion of these flights in many German cities. Abdel Aati pointed out that the plan to attract German tourists to Egypt also included their attraction to new Egyptian governorates, and not only to tourism in Hurghada and Marsa Alam. The plan promotes trips to the governorates of Sharm el-Sheikh, Luxor and Aswan, as well as medical tourism which is currently being discussed with the governor of South Sinai.

"We have confidence and optimism that this year will be the year of German tourism in Egypt, especially as we have a competitive advantage which does not exist in any other country," said Abdul Aati.

And this is why German tourism companies have labeled Egypt as the best tourist destination for this year, pointing out that Germany is one of the few countries that did not take action against Egypt after the fall of the Russian plane, and only to ban the travel of aircraft over Sinai, at a height of less than 26 thousand feet.

Currently, the travel ban has been lifted under 26,000 feet over the southern Sinai governorate, and has been restricted to North Sinai, reflecting the strength of Egyptian-German relations and the desire of the German government and people to strengthen these relations.