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Press
release February 2007 from the Tourist Office –
Egypt
attracts record
UK
holiday makers in 2006 breaking the one million mark for the
first time. Representing an impressive increase of
23.3% on 2005 figures, at the same time the number of
nights they stayed also increased. This huge increase is a
further indication that
Egypt
is on course to achieve its aim of welcoming 16 million visitors
from around the world by 2014
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Geographical
location
Egypt
is at the juncture of the ancient world continents of Africa,
Asia and
Europe
. The area of
Egypt
amounts to over 1 million square kilometres. Its population is
over 76 million, most of whom live in the cities and villages
bordering the banks of the
Nile
. It is bounded in the north by the Mediterranean sea, in the
east by the Red Sea, in the west by
Libya
and in the south by
Sudan
.
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History
Egypt
is the cradle of a deep-rooted civilisation whose history goes
back 5000 years and over 7000 years of civilisation. It is a
museum of history and the melting pot of the greatest
civilisations throughout the ages. On its land the Pharonic,
Greek, Roman, Christian and Islamic civilisations have
flourished
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A
holiday in
Egypt
is full of history, mystery and intrigue.
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People
Egyptians are naturally very friendly, generous and
hospitable people. Some
people are very poor. Tipping or Baksheesh is a way of life in
Egypt
and predominently used to give those less fortunate than
yourself and who have given you an excellent service a reward.
Please note this does not have to be pounds and should reflect
the service you have received.
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Toursim
Egypt
has a wide variety of activities to offer everyone. As well as
having one third of the ancient heritage of mankind, the
religious sites are
frequented by thousands of the followers of the three holy
religions there are Jewish synagogues, Christian monuments,
monasteries and
Islamic monuments, mosques and citadels. Safari and adventure
holidays are available around the Oases of the Western desert
and the Sinai desert. Bird watching is popular especially during
the migrating season. By
virtue of its natural dry warm weather and many sulphurous and
mineral springs, black sands of special therapeutic qualities
especially in Safaga on the
Red Sea
therapeutic tourism is on the increase. The Northern coast has
the Mediterranean appeal and this coastline combined with the
Red Sea gives
Egypt
over 2000 kilometres of beautiful beaches and coastline. Diving
and all types of water sports are readily available.
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Accessibility
Easily accessible from most of the
UK
airports flight time 4 and a half to 5 hours. Good roads
infrastructure, trains and of course boats and ferries make
travelling around
Egypt
easy.
Hurghada
or Sharm El Sheikh both on the
Red Sea
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Hurghada
is on mainland
Egypt
and has been an Egyptian town for decades so you have a mixture
of the old and the new. You can easily reach
Luxor
and the
Nile
from Hurghada. Sharm El Sheikh is on the Sinai Peninsula and has
only been established in the past 15 years and is predominantly
a modern tourist town and from here you can easily reach
St Catherine's
,
Jordan
and
Petra
. Both have international hospitals, very prestigious hotels,
international airports, shopping malls and a wide variety of
restaurants. They are both on the
Red Sea
and the coral reefs are superb in both areas along with a
magnificent coast line, clear blue seas and sandy beaches.
People from all over
Europe
are now choosing these coastal towns to buy their holiday homes
in the sun. Complete with fitted kitchen, wardrobes and air
conditioning.
LUXOR
HAS ARRIVED
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Luxor
has 1/6th of the worlds ancient heritage and is where
Thomas Cook started his tourism business.
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Valley of the Kings and Queens, Tutenkhamun
and the
Temples
of Karnak and
Luxor
.
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The government have many exciting projects
planned for
Luxor
and these will come onto the market within the next 2 years so
this is a wonderful opportunity to be there first!!
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We
feel it is worth adding an extract from an article about the
performance of the Egyptian economy during the current world crisis.
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Egyptians have justifiably criticized successive
governments for economic mismanagement and dependence on superpower
patronage. Prime Minister Nazif’s cabinet, however, initially
provided much cause for critics to eat their words by streamlining
regulations, reducing non-tariff barriers to trade, implementing tax
reforms, and deepening the financial sector. In 2007,
Egypt
cornered 7 percent GDP growth and became the World Bank’s top
economic reformer. In the context of the global economic crisis, the
Egyptian government has avoided risky levels of counter cyclical
spending and introduced a modest $5.4 billion fiscal stimulus package
(much of which is to be invested in physical infrastructure).
Inflation has fallen, and the economy achieved a 4.3 percent growth rate in
the third quarter of FY 2008–2009, respectable in view of the global
crisis. Egyptian officials have also reaffirmed their
commitment to future reforms including a value-added tax, streamlined
subsidies, and a second round of privatization. A powerful business
faction allied with Gamal Mubarak, the president’s son and head of
the ruling National Democratic Party’s Policies Secretariat,
supports Nazif’s reforms
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