Current location:Global Groove news portal > travel
Feature: Return of Chinese tourists contributes to Egypt's tourism rebound
Global Groove news portal2024-06-03 17:12:49【travel】7People have gathered around
IntroductionMohamed A. Salama, head of the International Tourism Offices Sector at the Egyptian Tourism Promotio
Mohamed A. Salama, head of the International Tourism Offices Sector at the Egyptian Tourism Promotion Authority, is interviewed with Xinhua in Cairo, Egypt, on April 27, 2023. (Xinhua/Sui Xiankai)
by Mahmoud Fouly, Yao Bing
CAIRO, May 2 (Xinhua) -- In front of the Great Pyramids of Giza in Egypt's capital Cairo, several groups of Chinese tourists are taking photos and selfies, enjoying their trip to the historic site.
Abbas Sayed, a 38-year-old Egyptian tour guide of one of the tourist groups, said after the sightseeing in the capital, he would take his group to Aswan province in southern Egypt to visit the historic Abu Simbel temple complex.
Sayed said the number of Chinese tourists coming to Egypt has been surging since the beginning of this year, which not only boosts his income but also the country's tourism and other related business as well.
"The strong return of Chinese tourists to Egypt doesn't only make a difference to Chinese-speaking Egyptian tour guides but to all those working in the tourism sector in Egypt," Sayed told Xinhua.
The favorite destinations for Chinese tourists in Egypt, according to Sayed, are the capital Cairo where they could visit the pyramids and museums, the southern provinces of Luxor and Aswan where they can tour the massive ancient temples, and the Red Sea resort city of Hurghada.
"Coming from a country with an ancient civilization too, the Chinese tour the Egyptian historic sites with deep respect and reverence," Sayed said.
Chen Yixin, a tourist from southern China's Guangzhou city, said he arrived in Egypt early Monday morning and would stay for nine days.
"I've watched lots of documentaries and got really interested in Egypt's culture and scenic spots," he said, adding that "the plane he took on his way to Egypt was packed with Chinese tourists."
Tourism is one of the pillar industries of Egypt, accounting for around 12 percent of the GDP.
Official data shows the tourist number in Egypt dropped from over 13 million in 2019 to around 3.7 million in 2020 due to the pandemic. It gradually recovered to about 8 million in 2021 and further rebounded throughout 2022 to a nearing pre-pandemic level.
Ahmed Fawzy, owner and CEO of a Cairo-based tour company, said the Egyptian travel agencies accommodating Chinese tourists all reported good performance in January.
Expecting tourist spots and market alleyways to be bustled with Chinese tourists again, governments and businesses are gearing up for their arrival.
"Once we learned that the travel of Chinese tourists to Egypt will be resumed, we started our preparations and our promotion work to attract more Chinese tourists," Mohamed A. Salama, head of the International Tourism Offices Sector at the Egyptian Tourism Promotion Authority, the promotion arm of the Ministry of Tourism and Antiquities, told Xinhua.
Salama stressed that Egypt is working on increasing its share of China's outbound travel market, saying, "We hope that Egypt will be on top of the destinations of Chinese tourists." ■
Tourists visit the Giza Pyramids in Giza, Egypt, on May 1, 2023. (Xinhua/Sui Xiankai)
Chinese tourists pose for photos with a camel as they visit the Giza Pyramids in Giza, Egypt, on April 28, 2023. (Xinhua/Ahmed Gomaa)
An Egyptian tour guide is interviewed at the Giza Pyramids in Giza, Egypt, on May 1, 2023. (Xinhua/Sui Xiankai)
Tourists visit the Giza Pyramids in Giza, Egypt, on May 1, 2023. (Xinhua/Sui Xiankai)
Tourists visit the Giza Pyramids in Giza, Egypt, on May 1, 2023. (Xinhua/Sui Xiankai)
Chinese tourists pose for photos as they visit the Giza Pyramids in Giza, Egypt, on April 28, 2023. (Xinhua/Ahmed Gomaa)
Address of this article:http://maldives.boluescortbayan.net/news-23d699954.html
Very good!(61235)
Related articles
- How Hunter Biden has come to face jurors on federal gun charges
- Mauricio Pochettino leaves Chelsea after one year as manager of the Premier League club
- Lady Tatiana Mountbatten
- Emma Weymouth channels wedding chic in a white gown at Cannes Film Festival
- Diplo showcases his buff body as he ditches his shirt during special Run Club workout at Barry's
- I hoarded so many items people called me 'Skip Man' and I was scared to walk around my house
- Head of FEMA tours deadly storm damage in Houston area as more residents get power back
- Tianjin's century
- Mayhem inside and outside Wembley mars Real Madrid's 2
- Saints open voluntary practice without Marshon Lattimore or Alvin Kamara
Popular articles
Recommended
Paris Olympics: What to know and who to watch during the boxing competition
Thousands of fans come to see Nadal practice ahead of the French Open
Over 1 million claims related to toxic exposure granted under new veterans law, Biden announces
The Los Angeles Rams will hold their training camp at Loyola Marymount University this summer
Reliever Drew Smith back with Mets after missing almost 6 weeks with shoulder soreness
Bridgerton fans SLAM season three's historical beauty inaccuracies
Tianjin's century
Iran: Thousands mourn President Raisi and others killed in helicopter crash
Links
- PM Christopher Luxon sets the scene for his MPs: 'Let's go get this thing done'
- Doctors call for engineered stone ban
- Government agencies' Gloriavale response not being extended
- Lack of reliability with trains sees Auckland commuters opt for the bus
- Ukraine war: Six Russian planes destroyed by drones, says Kyiv
- ANZ Premiership Netball: Can anyone knock over the Mystics?
- Trump sues Truth Social co
- Event: Asia’s budding filmmakers prepare for Shorties Film Festival 2020
- Trump sues Truth Social co
- Taiwan earthquake rescuers face threat of landslides, rockfalls as death toll at 12