Aswat Masriya (Cairo)

Egypt: Minister - 5.7 Million Tourists Bring Egypt $4.4 Billion

29 July 2013

Tourism Minister Hisham Za'zou' said that 5.7 million tourists visited Egypt during the first six months of 2013.

Tourism revenues during this period reached 4.4 billion USD, the minister said during his meeting with Italy's ambassador to Egypt.

Average tourist spending dropped to 67 USD instead of more than 100 USD in 2012, the Middle East News Agency reported Za'zou' as saying.

The minister cut the 2013 tourist forecasts due to travel warnings several countries issued after the June 30 revolution.

Around 12 percent of Egypt's work force is employed in tourism. According to tourism ministry data, tourism constitutes around 11.3 percent the country's gross domestic product (GDP).

Egypt's position at the bottom of the list of countries unable to provide safety and security for its tourists has caused severe losses in the tourism sector.

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