Egypt’s tourism signs marketing deal with Visa

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Written by Linda Hohnholz

CAIRO, Egypt – The cooperation protocol the Ministry of Tourism signed Sunday with financial services provider Visa aims to use internet marketing to promote Egypt as a tourist destination abroad, acc

CAIRO, Egypt – The cooperation protocol the Ministry of Tourism signed Sunday with financial services provider Visa aims to use internet marketing to promote Egypt as a tourist destination abroad, according to Minister of Tourism Hisham Zazou.

Egyptโ€™s marketing should not be limited to traditional programmes, as the ministry will use a combination of traditional and modern marketing, he added.

According to Zaazou, the ministry targets to receive 2% to 4% of reservations through internet bookings.

Despite โ€œthe signing of the protocol being delayed for two years, it comes as a step in the right direction,โ€ the minister said.

Tarek Al-Husseini, Visaโ€™s regional manager for North and West Africa, said: โ€œEight million people visited Egypt on the companyโ€™s website during the first week of its launch, and we hope to get this number to 100 million.โ€

The number of internet bookings for Egypt does not exceed 2,000, a very small number compared to other countries, Al-Husseini added.

The minister noted that Egypt needs comprehensive internet marketing in coordination with various airlines and hotels to facilitate the process of visiting the country.

On the issue of bringing tourists to Egypt from the European market, Zazou said: โ€œSouth Sinai has occupancy rates exceeding 55% despite the existence of travel warnings to the Sinai Peninsula.โ€

EU countries issued travel warnings for Sinai after a tourist bus was attacked near the Taba border in mid-February.

โ€œIncoming tourism to Egypt, especially to the Red Sea, is promising. Average occupancy exceeds 70%,โ€ the minister added. โ€œWe hope that European countries lift their travel warnings to South Sinai, especially since there is sufficient security in tourist areas.โ€

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Linda Hohnholz

Editor in chief for eTurboNews based in the eTN HQ.

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