Khaled El-Enany, Egypt's Minister of Tourism and Antiquities, at the Arabian Travel Market held at Dubai World Trade Centre on May 16, 2021. Pawan Singh / The National.
Khaled El-Enany, Egypt's Minister of Tourism and Antiquities, at the Arabian Travel Market held at Dubai World Trade Centre on May 16, 2021. Pawan Singh / The National.
Khaled El-Enany, Egypt's Minister of Tourism and Antiquities, at the Arabian Travel Market held at Dubai World Trade Centre on May 16, 2021. Pawan Singh / The National.
Egypt is targeting tourism revenue of more than $8 billion as it aims to attract more than 8 million overseas visitors in 2021, driven by the anticipated return of Russian holidaymakers and a revival in summer travel as the industry begins to recover, the country's tourism minister said.
The North African country hosted 1.8 million visitors mainly from eastern Europe between January to mid-May, earning nearly $2bn in revenue, Khaled El-Enany, Egypt's minister of tourism and antiquities, told The National on Sunday. In April, 525,000 tourists visited the country, representing about 60 per cent of April 2019 figures.
"I'm hoping that in the beginning of summer, with the return of the Russian, Arab and hopefully European markets, that we will reach our normal numbers at the nearest possible time," he said in an interview during the Arabian Travel Market in Dubai. "We are hoping to reach 1m visitors per month and we're not that far off."
Tourism is a key pillar in Egypt's economy, accounting for about 12 per cent of gross domestic product on average, with approximately one in five workers employed in the industry. Home to the Giza pyramids, the country also boasts various other attractions that include the upcoming Grand Egyptian Museum, new archaeological discoveries, and turquoise beaches. It recently made waves around the world with the Golden Parade of royal mummies.
Egypt has it all, all year round, for all types of tourists, and for all tastes
The country is undertaking measures to ensure the safe return of tourists as the global industry looks to recover from the impact of the Covid-19 pandemic.
Egypt hosted 3.6m travellers in 2020, down from 13m in 2019 due to the pandemic, according to the ministry. Since re-opening its borders in July 2020 until now, it attracted 3m visitors.
Russian tourists, Egypt’s top source market, are expected to return “very soon” with bookings already in place for June, he said.
Arrangements are under way between Russian and Egyptian government entities, tour operators, airlines and other businesses that will revive tourism traffic following agreements by the countries’ presidents to resume travel.
“I’m hoping before the summer season so they can enjoy Sharm Al Sheikh and Hurghada and the beaches there,” Mr El-Enany said. “We hope to see the 3.5m visitors that used to come before.”
Egypt has $15bn worth of tourism projects open to investors positioned as city destinations like Galala in the Gulf of Suez, Alamein in the north coast and Mansoura on the Mediterranean sea, the minister said.
“These are major tourism projects and we’re welcoming investors from around the world to participate,” Mr El-Enany said.
Investment incentives include tax exemptions, facilitating partnerships, customs waivers, government-backed guarantees of the projects’ success, enhancing infrastructure to alleviate the costs for investors, he added.
Egypt is also working on establishing a network of roads and rapid trains to connect its coastal cities with inland destinations while strengthening its domestic air travel network.
“Our aim is that every tourist who comes to Egypt and goes to Sharm El Sheikh and Hurghada, must also visit the Grand Egyptian Museum as well as Luxor and Aswan, so we will increase domestic flights and make domestic travel cheaper,” the minister said.
Since the outset of the pandemic, Egypt’s central bank rolled out a 50 billion Egyptian pound ($3.2bn) package to support the vital tourism industry during the global crisis.
While the amount has not been completely used up yet, there is “no ceiling” for further funding until the sector has completely recovered, Mr El-Enany said.
In general, countries will not return to pre-crisis tourist numbers before the middle or end of 2022, the minister said.
The incident in Giza prompted outrage online. AFP
Egypt to issue long-term visas
In response to the pandemic, Egypt has eased its tourism visa rules and created new visa categories to attract more visitors.
It added 27 nationalities that can obtain a visa on arrival, on top of the 46 nationalities that were already approved prior to the pandemic, making it possible for a total of 73 nationalities to get a visa at the airport, he said. Tourist visas cost $25.
For the first time, visitors with valid Schengen, UK, or US visas on their passport can also obtain a visa on arrival. Electronic visas will also be expanded to make it easier for visitors to apply.
The tourism ministry and the foreign ministry will start issuing long-stay tourism visas for a period of up to 90 days soon, Mr El-Enany said.
The foreign ministry is negotiating with several countries, particularly in Europe, to establish travel corridors. Egypt hopes to facilitate this by vaccinating all tourism workers in its Red Sea destinations and it will roll out an international media campaign in the fall to target new markets in the Far East and Arab world, the minister said.
It is also looking at crafting a tourism marketing strategy and investing $90m in a three-year media campaign, he said.
“I’m very optimistic about tourism in Egypt post-pandemic,” Mr El-Enany said, positing relatively low infection rates, open spaces at beaches or mountains that allow for greater social distancing and the diversity of its product offering.
“Egypt has it all, all year round, for all types of tourists, and for all tastes,” he said. “Egypt will be at the top of the destinations when travel resumes."
Archaeologists discover ancient Egyptian artefacts and hieroglyphics in hidden tombs – in pictures
Some of the artefacts from 250 graves discovered on a mountain in Al Hamidiyah cemetery, east of Sohag, Egypt. EPA
The tombs date back about 4,200 years, from the late years of the Old Kingdom to the end of the Ptolemaic era. EPA
Tombs at the site included “some with a well or several burial wells and other cemeteries with a sloping corridor that ends with a burial room,” the Egyptian Antiquities Ministry said. EPA
Experts found hieroglyphic inscriptions and a chamber for sacrifices in one of the tombs, reports said. EPA
A view of the site where the tombs were discovered. EPA
Graves of multiple styles were discovered at several levels of the mountain. EPA
Some of the objects found were used in daily life and others for funerary rites. EPA
Egypt has announced several major new archaeological discoveries in recent months. EPA
Online: The match will be broadcast live on Dubai Exiles’ Facebook page
UAE squad: Lucas Waddington (Dubai Exiles), Gio Fourie (Exiles), Craig Nutt (Abu Dhabi Harlequins), Phil Brady (Harlequins), Daniel Perry (Dubai Hurricanes), EsekaiaDranibota (Harlequins), Matt Mills (Exiles), JaenBotes (Exiles), KristianStinson (Exiles), Murray Reason (Abu Dhabi Saracens), Dave Knight (Hurricanes), Ross Samson (Jebel Ali Dragons), DuRandt Gerber (Exiles), Saki Naisau (Dragons), Andrew Powell (Hurricanes), EmosiVacanau (Harlequins), NikoVolavola (Dragons), Matt Richards (Dragons), Luke Stevenson (Harlequins), Josh Ives (Dubai Sports City Eagles), Sean Stevens (Saracens), ThinusSteyn (Exiles)
The bairaq is a competition for the best herd of 50 camels, named for the banner its winner takes home
Namoos - a word of congratulations reserved for falconry competitions, camel races and camel pageants. It best translates as 'the pride of victory' - and for competitors, it is priceless
Majahim - chocolate-brown camels that can grow to weigh two tonnes. They were only valued for milk until camel pageantry took off in the 1990s
Millions Street - the thoroughfare where camels are led and where white 4x4s throng throughout the festival
The President's Cake
Director: Hasan Hadi
Starring: Baneen Ahmad Nayyef, Waheed Thabet Khreibat, Sajad Mohamad Qasem
Rating: 4/5
Recipe
Garlicky shrimp in olive oil
Gambas Al Ajillo
Preparation time: 5 to 10 minutes
Cooking time: 5 minutes
Serves 4
Ingredients
180ml extra virgin olive oil; 4 to 5 large cloves of garlic, minced or pureed (or 3 to 4 garlic scapes, roughly chopped); 1 or 2 small hot red chillies, dried (or ¼ teaspoon dried red chilli flakes); 400g raw prawns, deveined, heads removed and tails left intact; a generous splash of sweet chilli vinegar; sea salt flakes for seasoning; a small handful of fresh flat-leaf parsley, roughly chopped
Method
▶ Heat the oil in a terracotta dish or frying pan. Once the oil is sizzling hot, add the garlic and chilli, stirring continuously for about 10 seconds until golden and aromatic.
▶ Add a splash of sweet chilli vinegar and as it vigorously simmers, releasing perfumed aromas, add the prawns and cook, stirring a few times.
▶ Once the prawns turn pink, after 1 or 2 minutes of cooking, remove from the heat and season with sea salt flakes.
▶ Once the prawns are cool enough to eat, scatter with parsley and serve with small forks or toothpicks as the perfect sharing starter. Finish off with crusty bread to soak up all that flavour-infused olive oil.
The specs: 2019 BMW i8 Roadster
Price, base: Dh708,750
Engine: 1.5L three-cylinder petrol, plus 11.6 kWh lithium-ion battery
Transmission: Six-speed automatic
Power: 374hp (total)
Torque: 570Nm (total)
Fuel economy, combined: 2.0L / 100km
The Buckingham Murders
Starring: Kareena Kapoor Khan, Ash Tandon, Prabhleen Sandhu
Director: Hansal Mehta
Rating: 4 / 5
MATCH INFO
England 19 (Try: Tuilagi; Cons: Farrell; Pens: Ford (4)
New Zealand 7 (Try: Savea; Con: Mo'unga)
The specs: 2018 Harley-Davidson Fat Boy
Price, base / as tested Dh97,600 Engine 1,745cc Milwaukee-Eight v-twin engine Transmission Six-speed gearbox Power 78hp @ 5,250rpm Torque 145Nm @ 3,000rpm Fuel economy, combined 5.0L / 100km (estimate)
Getting there Flydubai flies direct from Dubai to Tbilisi from Dh1,025 return including taxes
RESULTS
Dubai Kahayla Classic – Group 1 (PA) $750,000 (Dirt) 2,000m Winner: Deryan, Ioritz Mendizabal (jockey), Didier Guillemin (trainer).
Godolphin Mile – Group 2 (TB) $750,000 (D) 1,600m Winner: Secret Ambition, Tadhg O’Shea, Satish Seemar
Dubai Gold Cup – Group 2 (TB) $750,000 (Turf) 3,200m Winner: Subjectivist, Joe Fanning, Mark Johnston
Al Quoz Sprint – Group 1 (TB) $1million (T) 1,200m Winner: Extravagant Kid, Ryan Moore, Brendan Walsh
UAE Derby – Group 2 (TB) $750,000 (D) 1,900m Winner: Rebel’s Romance, William Buick, Charlie Appleby
Dubai Golden Shaheen – Group 1 (TB) $1.5million (D) 1,200m Winner: Zenden, Antonio Fresu, Carlos David
Dubai Turf – Group 1 (TB) $4million (T) 1,800m Winner: Lord North, Frankie Dettori, John Gosden
Dubai Sheema Classic – Group 1 (TB) $5million (T) 2,410m Winner: Mishriff, John Egan, John Gosden
Blockchain is a form of distributed ledger technology, a digital system in which data is recorded across multiple places at the same time. Unlike traditional databases, DLTs have no central administrator or centralised data storage. They are transparent because the data is visible and, because they are automatically replicated and impossible to be tampered with, they are secure.
The main difference between blockchain and other forms of DLT is the way data is stored as ‘blocks’ – new transactions are added to the existing ‘chain’ of past transactions, hence the name ‘blockchain’. It is impossible to delete or modify information on the chain due to the replication of blocks across various locations.
Blockchain is mostly associated with cryptocurrency Bitcoin. Due to the inability to tamper with transactions, advocates say this makes the currency more secure and safer than traditional systems. It is maintained by a network of people referred to as ‘miners’, who receive rewards for solving complex mathematical equations that enable transactions to go through.
However, one of the major problems that has come to light has been the presence of illicit material buried in the Bitcoin blockchain, linking it to the dark web.
Other blockchain platforms can offer things like smart contracts, which are automatically implemented when specific conditions from all interested parties are reached, cutting the time involved and the risk of mistakes. Another use could be storing medical records, as patients can be confident their information cannot be changed. The technology can also be used in supply chains, voting and has the potential to used for storing property records.
Uefa Champions League semi-finals, first leg
Liverpool v Roma When: April 24, 10.45pm kick-off (UAE) Where: Anfield, Liverpool Live: BeIN Sports HD Second leg: May 2, Stadio Olimpico, Rome
If you go...
Fly from Dubai or Abu Dhabi to Chiang Mai in Thailand, via Bangkok, before taking a five-hour bus ride across the Laos border to Huay Xai. The land border crossing at Huay Xai is a well-trodden route, meaning entry is swift, though travellers should be aware of visa requirements for both countries.
Flights from Dubai start at Dh4,000 return with Emirates, while Etihad flights from Abu Dhabi start at Dh2,000. Local buses can be booked in Chiang Mai from around Dh50
The low down on MPS
What is myofascial pain syndrome?
Myofascial pain syndrome refers to pain and inflammation in the body’s soft tissue. MPS is a chronic condition that affects the fascia (connective tissue that covers the muscles, which develops knots, also known as trigger points).
What are trigger points?
Trigger points are irritable knots in the soft tissue that covers muscle tissue. Through injury or overuse, muscle fibres contract as a reactive and protective measure, creating tension in the form of hard and, palpable nodules. Overuse and sustained posture are the main culprits in developing trigger points.
What is myofascial or trigger-point release?
Releasing these nodules requires a hands-on technique that involves applying gentle sustained pressure to release muscular shortness and tightness. This eliminates restrictions in connective tissue in orderto restore motion and alleviate pain. Therapy balls have proven effective at causing enough commotion in the tissue, prompting the release of these hard knots.
Qosty Byogaani
Starring: Hani Razmzi, Maya Nasir and Hassan Hosny
Four stars
Living in...
This article is part of a guide on where to live in the UAE. Our reporters will profile some of the country’s most desirable districts, provide an estimate of rental prices and introduce you to some of the residents who call each area home.