Tourism in Egypt has experienced another good year to date. The first half of 2008 saw a 25% increase in tourist arrivals, according to Egypt’s Minister of Tourism Zohair Garana. The number of arrivals has increased from 9.8 million to 12.3 million. A major reason is the increase in budget and charter flights from European countries, which has helped to keep costs down and make the country easier to get to.
For many travelers, Egypt has become a more attractive destination as costs have come down. The country now is competitive with many other Mediterranean destinations and has its own popular tourist resorts along the Red Sea. The country has long been a popular destination for historical and cultural tourists, and now many people come for the Red Sea Resorts, which offer ideal weather year round. Hurghada, Sahl Hasheesh and other destinations along the east coast of Egypt are joining Sharm el Sheikh as popular places to spend a weekend or a month. The sea is well known for its spectacular scuba diving and other water sports are available as well.
Egypt is working to attract increasing tourists from non-traditional countries such as Russia, India and China. It is estimated that there will be some 150 million tourists from India and China alone by the year 2020. As other Middle East countries work to draw tourists from across the globe, Egypt plans to increase its own efforts to keep them coming.
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