Featured image via Voyages Afriq

Last Saturday, UNWTO Secretary-General, Zurab Pololikashvili, paid Egypt his first visit since the resumption of international air flights to the country. By the end of the trip, Pololikashvili announced that Egypt was ready to receive international tourists from all around the world.

Pololikashvili headed a delegation sent to inspect COVID-19 measures around the nation’s sites and touristic facilities and was accompanied by Khaled El Anany, Minister of Tourism.

 
 
 
 
 
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El Anany and Pololikashvili set off on a nationwide tour covering archaeological sites, museums, and other tourist attractions. Their first stop was Hurghada, where the delegation inspected the safety measures in hotels and other sites. The tour also included the National Museum of Egyptian Civilization and ended with a visit to the Great Pyramids of Giza and the new Grand Egyptian Museum.

Egypt relies heavily on tourism as it generates one of its largest elements of GDP. According to Egypt Independent, tourism experts have estimated that the sector’s monthly loss post-pandemic amounted to USD 1 billion.

It’s noteworthy that resorts in Hurghada and Sharm El Sheikh welcomed over 100,000 visitors since July, and that Egypt now requires a negative PCR test to allow incoming passengers’ entry. Also, Dutch airline KLM recently announced that it will resume flights to Cairo after a 3-year hiatus.