Egypt 'becoming more popular with tourists'
10th October 2007

Telegraph

Egypt is continuing to increase in popularity as a tourist destination, according to new figures.

During 2006-07, visitor numbers increased by 13 per cent on the previous year to 9.7 million, according to the state news agency Mena.

Figures showed a particularly strong surge in tourism at the start of this year, as the number of people visiting between January and April was higher than official predictions.

Zoheir Garanah, Egypt's tourist minister was quoted as saying that holidaymakers spent a cumulative total of 92.3 million nights in the country - 8.5 per cent higher than last year's figure of 85.1 million.

Europeans were the largest group of visitors, accounting for almost two-thirds of visitng people, ahead of Arabians and people from the Middle East.

Mena added that the government is hoping to boost the country's tourist sector further by attracting up to 14 million visitors a year before 2011.

This could trigger a surge in demand and growth in the Egyptian property market, as the country could become an attractive option for investors.

UK newspaper the Telegraph recently predicted that Egypt could become a future investment hotspot with foreign property buyers.

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