Mashat: 'We welcome British tourists to Sharm el-Sheikh'

CAIRO - 22 October 2019: The Egyptian Minister of Tourism Dr. Rania Al-Mashat commended the UK announcement to lift flight restrictions to Sharm el-Sheikh, saying: “We welcome the return of British tourists to Sharm El-Sheikh. This announcement is a renewal of the ongoing cooperation between both nations.”

She added “This step is a testament to the continuous efforts exerted by the Egyptian government to ensure the safety and security of every visitor in all of Egypt’s destinations, and in South Sinai in particular,” according to a Tuesday statement by the Ministry of Tourism.

Egypt has significantly invested in safety and security measures including CCTV, airport security, GPS on tour buses and continually reviews and enhances these security steps.

Dr. Al-Mashat said “The lift of the travel ban on Sharm El Sheikh regains confidence in one of the most popular, entertaining and enjoyable tourism destinations globally, welcoming tourists from all over the world.”

The British government has today informed airlines that it no longer advises against flying to Sharm el-Sheikh airport. An advice that was imposed since November 2015.

The Minister of Tourism highlighted that “International institutions have acknowledged the improvements witnessed in Egypt’s security infrastructure. According to the World Economic Forum’s latest 2019 Travel and Tourism Competitiveness Report (TTCR), Egypt had the fourth-highest TTCI performance improvement and ranked the most improved in the MENA region on the safety and security pillar. Moreover, the World Travel and Tourism Council (WTTC) attributed the growth in Egypt’s tourism sector to the hugely improved security infrastructure, and awarded Egypt the annual “2019 Global Champion Award” for promoting tourism resilience.

In a statement issued by the British Embassy in Egypt this morning, Minister for the Middle East and North Africa, Dr Andrew Murrison said: “The UK has been clear that flights to Sharm El-Sheikh should resume when the security situation allows. I am pleased that today we can announce the lifting of the current restrictions. We will continue to work closely with our partners in Egypt and airlines that plan to resume flights in the future.”

British Ambassador to Egypt Sir Geoffrey Adams said: “This announcement follows our aviation security experts’ close cooperation with their Egyptian counterparts. We will work closely with airlines who wish to resume flights."