An Italian property developer with investments in Egyptian tourism has launched an initiative to lure Italian tourists back to Sharm el-Sheikh, with a focus on wealthier clients from Italy who can inject more money into the Egyptian economy.
Ernesto Preatoni, who owns Domina Coral Bay Resort in Sharm el-Sheikh, played a vital role in attracting 500,000 Italian tourists to the city before the January 25 revolution in 2011. However, the numbers fell to 11,000 this year for a variety of reasons. Now he is seeking to revive the resort by tempting wealthy holiday-makers.
Preatoni has over 40 years of experience in tourism and owns resort in various parts of the world. As founder and chairman of Preatoni Real Estate, he says he will benefit if the initiative succeeds, allowing him to develop his business in Egypt and inject more investment.
At the heart of the initiatives is a promotional trip that he is funding himself, seeking to bring influential people from Italy to the Red Sea resort for a fact-finding holiday.
He has paid for eight flights from four different Italian cities, each carrying 180 persons, including tourists, investors, journalists, and politicians. On arrival in Sharm el-Sheikh, they will enjoy a one-week stay — again paid for by Preatoni — to show them how secure and beautiful the resort is.
The first of these flights will be on the October 2 and the last on November 28, and the campaign promises to be the resort’s biggest ever promotional event.
“Our aim is not to bring back regular tourists to Sharm el-Sheikh, but the more wealthy tourists,” said Preatoni.
“Sharm el-Sheikh is super beautiful and deserves to be the destination of wealthy people in Italy and the world.So in our initiative we aim to invite wealthy Italians and provide direct flights fromt he cities of Nablus and Barry, known for their love of travel. Thus the initiative is going further than the idea of bringing back normal tourists, focusing on the wealthy.”
From his part, Egypt’s Aviation Minister Sherif Fathy welcomed the initiative, and instructed his fellow officials to support it. Aviation Minister received representative for Preatoni’s company who explained for him the initiative in details.
 Fathy demanded EgyptAir and Air Cairo to support the initiative and offer all needed facilities.
“I do not understand why voices getting louder in Italy demanding a travel ban to Sharm el-Sheikh following the killing of the young man Reginy! I am very sad for the death of this wonderful young man, but crimes will not stop in the world, as well as life, yes I wish the murderers be arrested and punished, but that crime does not have to stop us from work and not prevent those living from enjoying their lives,” he added.