The Egyptian government is holding talks with European countries in hopes of convincing the latter to reconsider travel advisories issued against Egypt as a result of recent domestic political unrest.
“The government is seeking to have the ban lifted, or to at least exclude the Red Sea and South Sinai from the ban,” Egyptian Tourism Federation Chairman Elhamy al-Zayat told Anadolu Agency on Monday.
Tourism Minister Hisham Zaazou arrived in Moscow on Monday for talks with Russian officials.
“He will hold intensive talks with [Russian] Foreign Ministry officials and officials of the Russian Federal Agency for Tourism to guarantee that Egypt remains a choice destination for tourists in the upcoming season and to revive tourist inflows,” al-Zayat said.
According to the Tourism Ministry, Zaazou will meet with a number of Russian tour operators during his visit.
About 1.7 million Russian tourists arrived in Egypt during the period from January to August of this year, representing a 23.4 percent increase on the same period last year.
Russia is Egypt’s largest market for tourism.
About 2.8 million Russians visited Egypt in 2010, 1.8 million in 2011, and 2.5 million in 2012.
The Egyptian tourism minister also visited the UK earlier this week for talks with tour operators in that country.
On Sunday, al-Zayat told AA that Thomas Cook, a major British tour operator, had decided to resume trips to Egypt in October.
The holiday giant had suspended trips to Egypt last month after several European travel warnings were issued.
Hisham al-Shaer, the Thomas Cook agent in Egypt, said tourist sites in the Red Sea and South Sinai were ready to welcome tourists from around the world.
“We expect a strong tourist season once presidential and parliamentary elections are held,” he said.
Egypt has been in a state of turmoil since the powerful army deposed elected president Mohamed Morsi on July 3 following mass protests against his presidency.
According to the Tourism Ministry, tourist flows to Egypt have dropped by 85 percent since mid-August, when security forces violently dispersed two anti-coup protest camps, killing hundreds of demonstrators.