EGYPT: Lufthansa And British Airways Suspend Flights To Egypt's Sharm el-Sheikh And Cairo

Lufthansa has followed the UK British Airways in temporarily flight suspension to the Egyptian capital as a precaution for security reasons, according to the company's statement, cited by local media.

Lufthansa has said in a statement that as safety is the number one priority of Lufthansa, the airline has temporarily suspended its flights to Cairo today as a precaution, while further assessment is being made.

Lufthansa canceled flights from Frankfurt and Munich to Cairo but is expected to resume service to the Egyptian capital on Sunday. The similar statement was issued earlier by British Airways.

"We constantly review our security arrangements at all our airports around the world and have suspended flights to Cairo for seven days as a precaution to allow for further assessment. The safety and security of our customers and crew is always our priority, and we would never operate an aircraft unless it was safe to do so", the statement said.

A spokesperson for the UK-based company has said that the flights were suspended "for seven days as a precaution to allow for further assessment".

Earlier, the United Kingdom's Foreign and Commonwealth Office (FCO) has advised passengers against air travel to and from Egypt's Sharm el-Sheikh but has not issued a similar warning on Cairo.

"There’s a heightened risk of terrorism against aviation. Additional security measures are in place for flights departing from Egypt to the UK. You should co-operate fully with security officials at airports", the FCO said.

British staff had been checking security at Cairo airport on Wednesday and Thursday. They reportedly gave no further details.

Russia suspended civilian air traffic to Egypt in November 2015 after a bomb brought down a Russian plane, which took off from Sharm el-Sheikh en route to St. Petersburg, killing all 224 people on board.

Before regular flights between Moscow and Cairo were resumed in April 2018, Egypt had to seriously enhance security at airports. Charter flights between Russia and Egyptian resorts are yet reportedly to be resumed.

The suspension reportedly resulted in massive losses in Egypt's tourism industry, since this was one of the most popular destinations for Russian tourists. It is estimated that Egyptian authorities have spent millions of dollars to ensure the airports’ security.

British Airways said Saturday it had suspended flights to Cairo for seven days as a precautionary measure following a security review.

The British flag carrier said it would not operate its aircraft unless it felt it was safe to do so.

The British Foreign Office updated its travel advice on Saturday with the British Airways suspension. The Lufthansa website also included a link to the British warning page.

In its travel advice for British nationals heading to Egypt, the Foreign Office in London warns: “There’s a heightened risk of terrorism against aviation.”

“Additional security measures are in place for flights departing from Egypt to the UK. You should co-operate fully with security officials at airports.”

Britain advises against all but essential travel by air to or from the Red Sea resort of Sharm el-Sheikh on the Sinai peninsula.

“Terrorists are very likely to try to carry out attacks in Egypt. Although most attacks occur in North Sinai, there is a risk of terrorist attacks across the country,” Britons are warned.

Britain canceled flights to Egypt’s Sharm El-Sheikh in 2015 after jihadists bombed a Russian airliner carrying holidaymakers from the Red Sea resort, killing more than 220 people on board.

An estimated 415,000 British nationals visited Egypt in 2018.


Tourism Observer

EGYPT: Roadside Bomb Kills 4 In Giza, 3 Vietnamese Tourists And An Egyptian Tour Guide

Four people were killed and 11 other people were injured on Friday when a bus was hit by a roadside bomb in Giza, Egypt, the Interior Ministry said.

It was reported that three Vietnamese tourists were killed and one was an Egyptian tourist guide.

Ten of the wounded were Vietnamese tourists and one was an Egyptian, a ministry statement said.

The bus was hit by an explosion from an improvised device hidden near a wall on Marioutiya street at around 6:15 pm local time, it said.

The roadside explosion hit a tourist bus near the Giza pyramids.

The explosion occurred on Al Maryotiya Road, a long road off Al Haram Road, one of the most famous streets in Greater Cairo.

An Egyptian security source said the bus had 14 people on board and an IED exploded as it approached. The device was hidden near a wall on Marioutiya Street off Al Haram Road, one of the most famous streets in Greater Cairo.

Police forces and ambulances attended the scene, and the injured individuals were transferred to nearby hospitals.

Ahmed Samy, a tuk-tuk driver, said he saw the bus after the blast and and locals and drivers were helping the injured to get out. One of the passengers was dead and was covered in blood, he said.

No militant group has yet claimed responsibility for Friday’s attack. The most active group has been Daesh, which has been operating mainly in North Sinai. An Isis-linked group claimed responsibility for the explosion on the Russian plane.

Daesh also claimed responsibility for a January 2016 attack in Hurghada where two militants entered a hotel and stabbed three tourists. The Swede and two Austrians survived.

In February 2014, the militant group Ansar Bayt al-Maqdis, which later pledged allegiance to Dsaesh claimed a bomb attack that ripped through a tourist bus on the Egyptian side of the Taba border crossing with Israel, killing four and injuring some 30 passengers.

Prior to the Russian plane explosion, the deadliest attack to target tourists took place in Luxor in 1997 when more than 60 people, the vast majority foreign tourists, were murdered by militants armed with guns and knives.

The prime minister, Mostafa Madbouly, visited the injured at Al-Haram hospital. He said that the bus had not followed the path it was supposed to take where it would have been secured by the police.

Tourism has been one of the main contributors to Egypt’s economy, contributing around 375bn Egyptian pounds to the economy (£16bn), or 11% of GDP, in 2017, according to the World Travel and Tourism Council.


Tourism Observer

RUSSIA: Russia To Reinstate Flights To Egypt After 2018 FIFA World Cup

The talks on opening charter flights to Egyptian resort cities will be resumed after the 2018 FIFA World Cup, Russia’s Transport Minister Yevgeny Ditrikh said on Thursday.

All actions related to revision of flights to Egypt will be performed after the end of the FIFA World Cup in Russia, he said when asked a respective question.

According to Ditrikh, representatives of the country’s aviation ministry have visited Russia during the 2018 FIFA World Cup.

Egyptian authorities said earlier this year that they expect charter flights between Russian cities and the Red Sea resorts of Sharm el-Sheikh and Hurghada to be resumed in the second half of 2018.

All flights between the two countries were cancelled in November 2015 after the explosion of Russia’s A320 jet over the Sinai Peninsula on October 31, less than half an hour after takeoff from Sharm el-Sheikh international airport.

The terrorist attack claimed the lives of all 217 passengers and seven crew members. Russia demanded a considerable tightening of security measures at Egyptian airports as a precondition for the resumption of flights.

In mid-December 2017, Russia and Egypt signed an agreement on aviation security and a special protocol on restoring air service between the two countries.

Russian President Vladimir Putin signed the decree on resumption of scheduled flights to Cairo on January 4, 2018. Settlement of technical matters, including slots booking and schedule preparation, continued in two subsequent months.


Tourism Observer

Nile Air And Pegasus Sign Codeshare Deal, Pegasus Launches Flights To Muscat And Dammam Via Istanbul

Turkey’s leading low-cost airline Pegasus has signed a codeshare agreement with Nile Air, Egypt’s largest private airline.

Through the codeshare partnership, Pegasus guests will be able to purchase flights from Pegasus channels for the Nile Air flights between Istanbul Sabiha Gökçen Airport and Cairo as of 15 June 2018.

Pegasus guests will be able to travel with Nile Air four days a week, on Mondays, Wednesdays, Fridays and Sundays, with the flights operated fromSabiha Gökçen to Cairo at16:05* and from Cairo to Sabiha Gökçen at 11:50.

With the addition of Nile Air, Pegasus now operates six codeshare partnerships, with agreements also in place with:

- KLM Royal Dutch Airlines

- Flynas

- Alitalia

- Qatar Airways

- Delta Air Lines.

The Turkish carrier will launch three times weekly flights to the Omani capital on July 3.

This will increase to four times weekly from July 15.

Stansted-Muscat services, via Istanbul, will operate on Tuesdays, Thursdays and Saturdays, returning Wednesdays, Fridays and Sundays.

Prices start from £115.99.

Meanwhile, Pegasus has rolled out daily flights to Saudi Arabia’s third largest city Dammam, via Istanbul, with fares starting from £159.99.

The additions takes Pegasus’s network to 110 destinations in 43 countries.


Tourism Observer

UAE: Etihad Airways To Increase Flights And Fly Boeing 787-9 Dreamliner On Cairo Route

Etihad Airways has announced that they will operate a fourth daily service between Abu Dhabi and Cairo using one of their Boeing 787-9 Dreamliners.

The current three daily flights are operated by Airbus A320s and A321s, citing increased demand on the route.

The schedule that is on offer from Cairo is used to offer seamless East-bound connections through AUH onwards into the Gulf, Indian Subcontinent, North and Southeast Asia as well as Australia.

Mohammad Al Bulooki, Etihad Airways Executive Vice President Commercial, said: Etihad Airways has been serving Cairo since 2004 and today it is one of the largest point-to-point markets on our global network.

This bolstered by the hugely important historic, economic, and cultural ties existing between the UAE and Egypt, and by the large Egyptian community in the Emirates, which numbers over 750,000.

In 2017 Etihad carried almost half a million guests on our multiple daily flights to and from Cairo.

The introduction of the state-of-the-art 787 Dreamliner on the popular morning service from Abu Dhabi will provide guests with the latest innovation and technology, award-winning cabins, genuine hospitality and greater choice.

These upgrades out of Cairo come following a partnership that was signed in April 2018 between Egyptair and Etihad which expanded their codesharing arrangements to include several African destinations.

These such as Ndjamena, Khartoum, Entebbe as well as Dar es Salaam with other destinations such as Abuja, Kano and Asmara all waiting to be approved by the respective governments.

Egyptair places its ‘MS’ code on EY flights operating from Abu Dhabi to Seoul, Brisbane, Melbourne and Sydney, and hopefully subject to governmental approval, on flights to China.

The 787-9 in question features a two-class configuration, offering 28 Business Class studios as well as 271 Economy Seats. The route changes will be in effect by October 28th, 2018. They are as follows:

With Etihad Airways currently hemorrhaging money after the demise of Alitalia and Air Berlin, Etihad is now bringing their costs down even more by reducing flights to Dhaka and other destinations and repositioning aircraft on the more popular routes.

However, this may be something that the carrier might not do for long as the more routes they cut, the more aircraft they are either going to have to reposition or put in storage/sell in order to keep their operations efficient and successful.

Lack of investment that Etihad is now placing into carriers and just focusing on the codesharing agreements is possibly the better solution for the airline to take.

Establish partnerships rather than acquisitions, and Etihad can then further connect Abu Dhabi with other destinations across the world without having to spend even more money trying to acquire majority stakes in an airline.


Tourism Observer

SINGAPORE: Eric Piatti Appointed GM At Dusit Thani Laguna Singapore

Eric Piatti has been appointed as General Manager of the Dusit Thani Laguna Singapore, the first Dusit-branded property within the country, scheduled to open in Q1 2019.

Mr Piatti is responsible for overseeing the pre-opening and ongoing operations of the new 198-room resort, which is located within the Laguna National Golf & Country Club and has the distinction of being the only resort in Singapore to offer direct access to a golf club.

Mr Piatti brings to his role more than 30 years of senior management experience at luxury hotels in the USA, Switzerland, Japan, China, India, Egypt and Thailand.

Prior to joining Dusit International, Mr Piatti spent five years as General Manager of Swissôtel Nai Lert Park, Bangkok, Thailand.

During his career he has also served as General Manager of Swissôtel Beijing, China during the Olympic Games and Fairmont Heliopolis & Towers, Cairo, Egypt.

Dusit Thani Laguna Singapore represents a key milestone in Dusit’s global expansion and I am delighted to have the opportunity to lead this stunning resort and introduce Dusit’s Thai-inspired, gracious hospitality to the country, said Mr Piatti.

Ideally positioned to meet the needs of golfing enthusiasts, leisure travellers, and MICE clientele, the resort has vast potential, and my team and I look forward to making it a huge success.

Mr Piatti holds a Bachelor's Degree in Hospitality Management from Ecole Hôtelière de Lausanne.

His mother tongue is French, and he is fluent in English, German and Italian.


Tourism Observer

ETHIOPIA: Ethiopian Airlines Expanding Routes, Now Flying To Argentina

Ethiopian Airlines launched its inaugural trip from Addis Ababa to Buenos Aires, Argentina, on Wednesday with an all-female crew.

The flag carrier will fly five times a week between the two capitals.

The Buenos Aires route increases the airline’s destinations in the Americas to six.

Ethiopian flies to Washington, New York, and Los Angeles in the United States, Toronto in Canada, and São Paulo, Brazil.

Ethiopian flight to Buenos Aires will provide efficient connections to our network in Asia, the Middle East, and Africa, including Beijing, Shanghai, Seoul, Tokyo, Mumbai, Delhi, Dubai, Beirut, Nairobi, and Cairo, said Mr Tewolde Gebremariam, the CEO of Ethiopian Airlines Group.

He said the airline’s expansion in terms of destinations and fleet in recent years would be instrumental in supporting Ethiopia’s rapid economic growth which is largely supported by industrialisation and tourism.

As the national carrier, we are fast expanding our global footprint, currently covering over 100 international destinations across five continents, to support the country’s growth by facilitating its access to investors and tourists,said Mr Tewolde.

Ethiopian Airlines, Africa's most profitable, has set up hubs in the continent with the latest agreement signed in January to acquire a 45 per cent stake in Zambia Airways that is set to be re-launched after more than two decades.

Ethiopian also operates Togo's Asky Airlines where it holds a 40 per cent stake, and Malawian Airlines, formerly Air Malawi, where it has a 49 per cent shareholding.

Ethiopian Airlines is seeking to set up hubs in southern Africa, Central Africa and the Horn that connect neighbouring countries leading to faster trade, investment and tourism within the continent.

We are working with Malawi and Zambia as southern Africa hubs. Another hub would be in central Africa, covering the Democratic Republic of Congo, Congo Brazzaville and Chad. We are also in talks with neighbouring Djibouti, said Tewelde Gebremariam, the CEO of Ethiopian Airlines Group.

We have a successful hub in Togo, Asky Airline in which we hold a 40 per cent share, Mr Tewelde said.

Before we established Asky, the only way to travel to travel from Cote d’Ivoire to Benin was first to go to Paris and then from Paris to Benin, he added.

He made the remark in Addis Ababa on Wednesday at the launch of an Ethiopian Airlines app that enables customers to make transactions including downloading their boarding pass.

Explaining the significance of having multiple hubs in Africa, Mr Tewelde said: We are not entering a joint venture with these African countries just for the sake of making money. Addis Ababa is a very successful hub.

Out of the around 11 million passengers we transport every year, 70 per cent are not entering Addis. They are transit passengers to other African countries and the rest of the world.

We are connecting Europe with Africa, the Middle East with Africa and Asia with Africa. We want to expand this and be close to the customers.

With a very large landmass and around one billion population, Africa has a high growth opportunity. By expanding the hubs, we will be contributing significantly to intra-Africa connectivity, he said.

Although Africa is reasonably connected with the rest of the world, the continent is not well connected to itself. Internal transport within Africa has been a major challenge especially because there are no open skies.

Due to financial and managerial complications Ethiopian Airlines recently ceased negotiations with Nigerian government to take over the previously private owned Arik Airlines of Nigeria.

A few months ago Mr Tewelde announced that Ethiopian Airlines was working on getting registered as a local Airline in Mozambique.

In 2017, Ethiopian Airlines added 12 new destinations. We will be launching flights to 10 new destinations between now and June 2018, Mr Tewelde said.

Ethiopian Airlines has acquired a 45 per cent stake in Zambia Airways that is set to be re-launched after more than two decades.

Africa's most profitable airline said Tuesday it has finalised a shareholders agreement with Zambia in line with its vision of setting up multiple hubs in southern and central Africa and the Horn.

Under the pact, the Zambian government will be the majority shareholder with a 55 per cent stake.

The re-launching of Zambia Airways will enable the travelling public in Zambia and the southern African region to enjoy greater connectivity options.

Thereby facilitating the flow of investment, trade and tourism, and contributing to the socio-economic growth of the country and the region, said Mr Tewolde Gebremariam, the CEO of Ethiopian Airlines Group.

In the statement, Mr Tewolde said Zambia Airways will serve national and regional destinations before embarking on international flights.

In December, Zambia's Cabinet approved the revival of the national airline at an estimated cost of $30 million.

The airline was liquidated in 1994 after running broke largely due to patronage and abuse by the political establishment.

Ethiopia Airlines runs Togo's Asky Airlines where it holds a 40 per cent stake and Malawian Airlines, formerly Air Malawi, where it has a 49 per cent shareholding.

Ethiopian Airlines almost doubled its profit for 2016, buoyed by an 18 per cent jump in passenger numbers.

The Ethiopian carrier summed up a great year for the continent’s largest and only profitable airline, with revenues of $261.9 million in 2016, from $150.9 million the previous year.

This despite the challenging operating environment caused by slower global economic growth and weaker performance of Africa’s major economies.

Its revenues increased by 8.6 per cent to $2.3 billion, a development attributed to an increase in flight frequency and opening up of new routes.

But the airline group chief executive officer Tewolde Gebremariam says that it was exposed to high currency fluctuations, leaving more than $220 million of its funds stuck in several African countries that had forex challenges.

Ethiopian booked a currency loss of $18.1 million as a result of continuous currency devaluation in many African countries and the associated problems of repatriation.

Mr Tewolde said the airline had difficulties repatriating funds in some oil-producing African countries.

Repatriating funds held up in Nigeria, Egypt, Angola and Sudan as a result of the oil price declines was a problem.

We have more than $220 million stuck in these countries. This has hit our liquidity, Mr Gebremariam said.

The airline was forced to resort to a natural hedge; making payments in the currency of sales and maintaining a higher cash reserve in the stable currencies such as US dollar, the euro and the British pound.

Due to the fluctuation of most currencies against the US dollar, as well as critical shortages of forex in some of the major markers in Africa.

We are closely working with International Air Transport Association (IATA) for possible ways of hedging of selected currency risks in major financial markets with selected banks, Mr Gebremariam said.

Data from the IATA shows that last year, 20 African governments owed African and foreign airlines $1.4 billion in stuck funds.

Nigeria, which devalued its currency twice, held the highest amount, $339 million, followed by Egypt with $310 million, then Angola with $190 million, Sudan $250 million and Algeria $125 million.

In 2016, Ethiopian Airlines saw its operating expenses increase by 6 per cent, which was lower than the rate of revenue growth.

It spent $631.9 million on fuel equivalent to 32 per cent of its total costs during the period down from $739.4 million the previous year.

Its overflying and navigation, foreign overhaul and landing charges also increased by $54.7 million to $147.4 million because of the increased operations, and exchange rate impact.

The airline saved $81.73 million through the implementation of various structural and strategic cost-saving initiatives.

Facing stiff competition from Gulf carriers, Ethiopia Airlines transported 270,000 tonnes of cargo and 7.6 million passengers in 2016, 75 per cent of whom were in transit.

Its finance costs jumped to $1.97 billion, $1.8 billion being loans from foreign lending institutions, secured on aircraft, bearing interest at rates of up to 4.84 per cent annually, and repayable in quarterly instalments.

It also owes $121.3 million in secured and unsecured loans from local and foreign lenders and development agencies, bearing interest at rates of up to 6.9 per cent annually.

The airline spent $61.6 million on landing and parking, up from $48.23 million, as a result of the new routes.



Tourism Observer

EGYPT: 2 Ukrainian Tourists Stubbed To Death At The Red Sea Resort Of Hurghada, Four Injured

An Egyptian security official says two Ukrainian female tourists who were among the six wounded in a stabbing attack in Egypt’s Red Sea resort of Hurghada have died.

The official says the two women died shortly after the attack on Friday. The attacker stabbed six foreign tourists at a Hurghada hotel after swimming up to the hotel from another beach.

The official gave no further details on the four wounded. He spoke on condition of anonymity because he wasn’t authorized to speak to the media.

Earlier, the Interior Ministry said that the assailant was arrested immediately after the stabbings.

An Egyptian security official says the six foreign tourists stabbed in an attack in the Red Sea resort of Hurghada include three from Serbia, two from Ukraine and one from Poland.

The official says the attacker stabbed the tourists in the face, neck, and feet. The official spoke on condition of anonymity because he wasn’t authorized to speak to the media.

He did not provide more details.

Earlier, the Interior Ministry said the assailant was arrested immediately after Friday’s stabbings.

It says the initial investigation shows the man sneaked into a hotel by swimming from a nearby beach and attacked the tourists. The motive for his attack was not known.

Egypt’s Interior Ministry says six foreign tourists, of different nationalities, were wounded when a man attacked them with a knife in the Red Sea resort of Hurghada.

The ministry says the assailant was arrested immediately after the stabbings on Friday. It says the initial investigation shows the man sneaked into a hotel by swimming from a nearby beach and attacked the tourists. The motive for his attack was not known.

The ministry says the tourists were rushed to a local hospital. It gave no further details and did not provide the nationalities of the tourists.

The attack came hours after five policemen were shot to death in Cairo’s twin city of Giza when suspected Islamic militants opened fire on their vehicle early in the morning.

Egypt’s state-run news agency says gunmen have attacked a security checkpoint in Cairo, killing five security forces.

Interior Ministry statement says the gunmen attacked the checkpoint Friday in the Badrashin area in Giza, part of Greater Cairo.

There was no immediate claim of responsibility.

Insurgents have carried out a number of attacks in Egypt since the 2013 military ouster of an elected Islamist president. The violence has been concentrated in the northern Sinai Peninsula, but there have also been several attacks on the mainland, including in the capital.

The shadowy group Hasm, believed to be affiliated to the banned Muslim Brotherhood, has claimed responsibility for similar attacks.


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EGYPT: Tourism Shows Recovery, More Than 60% Tourists From UK Or Russia

Tourists are slowly returning to Egypt, easing pressure on a key sector battered by years of turmoil and the 2015 bombing of a plane carrying Russian holidaymakers.

There is an increase in the number of tourists. The situation was much better in January than in previous years, tourism ministry spokesperson Omaima al-Husseini said.

Visitors from China, Japan and Ukraine account for a large part of the growth.

China's top public travel agency, China International Travel Service, reported a 58 percent increase in tourists flying to Egypt compared with 2015.

There are more bookings between October 2016 and January 2017 than last year, said Egyptian Federation of Tourism chief Karim Mohsen.

There is an improvement, especially in cultural tourism in Cairo, Luxor and Aswan," key historical sites, he said.

The uptick is a hopeful sign for a country also reeling from the shock of an economic reform programme that has triggered massive inflation.

Once a key source of foreign currency, the tourism sector crashed in 2011 after a popular uprising overthrew president Hosni Mubarak, ushering in years of sporadic unrest.

Recoveries in the sector since then have been set back by new crises.

In June 2015, a massacre of tourists at a Luxor temple was narrowly averted when assailants armed with assault rifles and explosives bungled the attack and were intercepted by police.

Then, in September that year, Egyptian forces mistakenly targeted a group of Mexican tourists visiting desert sites with repeated air strikes, killing 12 people.

The next month, Islamic State militants, who are waging an insurgency in the eastern Sinai Peninsula, struck again.

They bombed a Russian airliner carrying holidaymakers home from the popular Red Sea resort of Sharm el-Sheikh.

All 224 people on board were killed. In the aftermath, Russia suspended flights to Egypt and Britain cut air links with Sharm el-Sheikh.

Visitor numbers plunged from 9.3 million in 2015 to 5.3 million the following year, Husseini said.

But industry officials have cautiously welcomed what they say is a noticeable improvement since October.

In December 2016, 551,600 tourists visited Egypt, compared with 440,000 the year before, according to the government's statistics agency.

Activity has picked up a bit in the winter of 2016-2017, said Tamer al-Shaer, vice president of the Blue Sky travel agency.

He said that included a 30 percent increase in Ukrainian tourists and a 60 percent increase in visitors from China, with daily flights to Aswan, a southern city rich in ancient sites.

Japan's HIS travel agency said the number of tourists heading to Egypt had multiplied by four to five times last year.

Since charter flights from Japan to Egypt resumed in April 2016, they have been on average 80 percent full, said a spokesperson for the Japan Association of Travel agents.

Egypt hosted a record 14.7 million foreign tourists in 2010, a year before Mubarak's overthrow and the ensuing economic nosedive.

Restoring even two thirds of that number is a key government goal, but it hinges on Russia and Britain resuming flights, Husseini said.

There are ongoing negotiations we hope the issue will be resolved as soon as possible, she said.

More than 60 percent of tourists arriving in Sharm el-Sheikh by plane used to come from Britain or Russia.

So long as the Russians do not come back, there will be paralysis, the tourism federation's Mohsen said.

Russians and Britons are the backbone of Sharm el-Sheikh.

Other European countries such as Germany and France have registered a slight increase in reservations to Egypt.

In early February, four other European countries - Denmark, Finland, Norway and Sweden - eased travel warnings against travel to south Sinai, where Sharm el-Sheikh and other resorts are situated.

EGYPT: Advice On Holidays To Sharm El Sheikh, Cairo And Luxor

EGYPT used to be one of the most popular holiday destinations in the world but its tourism industry has been rocked by continued warnings over terror.

The Foreign Office advises against all but essential travel by air to or from Sharm el Sheikh and Thomas Cook has cancelled holiday bookings there for the winter of 2017/2018 and Summer 2018.

What to do if you’re thinking about visiting Egypt.

In recent years the country has been rife with political turmoil, violent protests and terrorism attacks.

The number of tourists visiting has decreased dramatically following the revolution, attacks on foreign journalists and government advice not to go there.

The Foreign and Commonwealth Office (FCO) advice is against all but essential travel by air to or from Sharm el Sheikh after a flight from Sharm el Sheikh to St Petersburg crashed in North Sinai.

There is no FCO advice against travel to Cairo, Alexandria, the tourist areas along the Nile river (including Luxor, Qina, Aswan, Abu Simbel and the Valley of the Kings) and the Red Sea resorts of Sharm el Sheikh and Hurghada.

Israel’s counter-terror agency had suggested its nationals in the region leave and advised them against travelling there over summer due to fears of an imminent ISIS attack.

The FCO say “terrorists are very likely to try to carry out attacks in Egypt”.

Their website states: “You should be vigilant at all times, avoid crowded places and follow the advice of the Egyptian authorities and your travel company, if you have one.”

Nine tourists were killed in September 2015 in the Western Desert when they were mistakenly attacked and killed by the Egyptian military who thought they were terrorists.

A Croatian man was kidnapped and killed by ISIS in July 2015 in the western desert near Cairo.

And in June 2015, terrorists tried to attack Karnak Temple in Luxor – the first attack in nearly 20 years – but were stopped by police.

If you are in Egypt, the website urges to keep updated on news revolving the country and take advice from authorities, hotels and tour operators.

They advise to stay away from demonstrations, protests and large gatherings and to leave immediately.

According to the FCO there is a “high threat from terrorism in Egypt”.

The website states: “The main threat is from extremists linked to Daesh-Sinai. You should be vigilant at all times, avoid crowded places and follow the advice of the Egyptian authorities and your travel company, if you have one.”

The FCO advise against all travel to the Governorate of North Sinai where the Egyptian armed forces are conducting operations against extremist groups and there are frequent reports of attacks.

The FCO advise against all but essential travel to the Governorate of South Sinai, with the exception of the area within the Sharm el Sheikh perimeter barrier, which includes the airport and the areas of Sharm el Maya, Hadaba, Naama Bay, Sharks Bay and Nabq. However, the FCO advise against all but essential travel by air to or from Sharm el Sheikh.

The FCO also advise against all but essential travel to the area west of the Nile Valley and Nile Delta regions, excluding the coastal areas between the Nile Delta and Marsa Matruh.

There’s a risk that tourists at high profile sites like the Giza Pyramids may be confronted aggressively for money or business, even while travelling by car, or taxi. Visitors using a pre-booked guide, or taking an organised tour to visit the Giza Pyramids are likely to face fewer difficulties.

There have been a number of attacks in Cairo mainly targeting government and security targets.

Visitors are told to exercise extreme caution in all border areas.

GOV.UK say it’s “generally low”, but over the years expatriates have been targeted and crimes committed including armed robberies, muggings, sexual assaults, rapes, break-ins and car-jackings at gun and knife-point.

They are more likely to take place in areas popular with expatriates, including during the daytime and they target four-wheel drive cars especially, while muggings have also happened in taxis.

In 2016, the British Embassy responded to 3 cases of rape and sexual assault against British nationals in Egypt.

It’s advised not to be the last person to travel on a microbus and to take great care when travelling alone. Always use hotel safes and watch out for bag snatchers and pickpockets.

If something happens, then report it to the Egyptian police immediately or you won’t be able to seek a prosecution.

Road accidents are rife due to poor road conditions and dangerous driving.

Road accidents killed almost 16,000 people in Egypt in 2011 and it’s advised to avoid independent road travel outside main cities and resorts at night.

Buses aren’t too much safer either and there have been a number of fatal bus crashes in recent years involving tourists.

The FCO also say there is a threat of kidnapping, particularly in remote desert areas.

Again, there are many fatalities in recent years.

Suspect devices have been on trains and at train stations and you should remain on guard, especially on the Cairo-Alexandria line.

EGYPT: 2-Year Tourism Recovery Plan Points To Faith And Luxury Tours

Egypt plans to promote religious, medical and luxury trips, and develop new markets in India and Eastern Europe, as it pushes to revive its vital tourism industry to pre-2011 revolution levels within two years.

In addition to more diverse tourism offerings, the home of the pyramids will ease travel for residents of the Gulf Arab nations through an e-visa program as part of a broader plan to boost visitors and encourage longer stays and more spending, Tourism Minister Mohamed Rashed said in an interview in Dubai.

The effort marks the latest attempt by Egyptian authorities to kick-start a sector that had been a primary source of foreign currency, and the economy economy, which has struggled since the 2011 uprising that ousted President Hosni Mubarak. The years of unrest that followed his toppling are made more dire by a series of terrorist attacks that only serve to further burden the government as it tries to attract foreign investors while appeasing a population of over 92 million straining under the weight of the reform measures.

“The final target is to get to the 2010 numbers” Rashed said, referring to the more than 14 million visitors the country hosted in 2010, its peak year for tourism arrivals. “We should be able to get as close as possible to the target in the next 18 to 24 months.”

Already, Egypt has seen a slight reversal of the downward trend it’s endured for years. But to cement the gains and stage a sustained recovery, officials plan on further promoting programs far removed from the traditional surf and sun offerings found along the Red Sea resorts, or the antiquities for which Egypt is famed.

Those options include “Holy Family” tours to eight destinations, Rashed said. To get a slice of the medical tourism industry, the country would be capitalizing on the lower cost of some cosmetic procedures in Egypt, relative to the expense in Europe and the U.S. for the same surgeries.

The road to recovery has been difficult. The 2015 downing of a Russian passenger jet shortly after its takeoff from the Red Sea resort of Sharm El-Sheikh killed all 224 on board and promoted a ban on flights to Egypt from Russia that has yet to be lifted.

Palm Sunday church bombings earlier this month left at least 45 dead and dozens wounded in two cities, while another attack on a police checkpoint near the storied St. Catherine’s Monastery in south Sinai brought closer to the main tourism hubs the risks posed by militants. The three attacks were all claimed by the Islamic State’s local affiliate.

Egypt is working on revamping its image to change perceptions by potential visitors that it is an unsafe destination. Rashed stressed that terror is a global threat, versus one targeting one particular country.

“What happened in Egypt is no different than what’s happening anywhere in the world,” Rashed said. “When you talk about an incident right in front of Westminster in London or an incident in Champs-Elysees or other incidents in last three to four years, it proves that Egypt has taken the right measures to stop these people from advancing.”

The North African country is already seeing a “very optimistic” first quarter and is “well-positioned” to see the return of tourists by diversifying source markets and developing Cairo, Luxor and Aswan as luxury destinations. Germany is the top growing market, followed by the Middle East, especially Saudi Arabia, he said. There’s also been growth in tourists from China, Japan, United States and the Ukraine.

EGYPT: Tourism Signals Recovery

Tourists are slowly returning to Egypt, easing pressure on a key sector battered by years of turmoil and the 2015 bombing of a plane carrying Russian holidaymakers.

"There is an increase in the number of tourists. This situation was much better in January than in previous years," tourism ministry spokeswoman Omaima al-Husseini said.

Visitors from China, Japan and Ukraine account for a large part of the growth.

China´s top public travel agency, China International Travel Service, reported a 58 percent increase in tourists flying to Egypt compared with 2015.

"There are more bookings between October 2016 and January 2017 than last year," said Egyptian Federation of Tourism chief Karim Mohsen.

"There is an improvement, especially in cultural tourism in Cairo, Luxor and Aswan," key historical sites, he said.

The uptick is a sign of hope for a country also reeling from the shock of an economic reform programme that has triggered massive inflation.

Once a key foreign currency earner, the tourism sector crashed in 2011 after a popular uprising overthrew veteran strongman Hosni Mubarak, ushering in years of sporadic unrest.

Recoveries in the sector since then have been set back by new crises.

In June 2015, a massacre of tourists at a Luxor temple was narrowly averted when assailants armed with assault rifles and explosives bungled the attack and were intercepted by police.

But in October that year, Islamic State group jihadists, who are waging an insurgency in the eastern Sinai Peninsula, struck again. They bombed a Russian airliner carrying holidaymakers home from the popular Red Sea resort of Sharm el-Sheikh.

All 224 people on board were killed.

Russia suspended flights to Egypt and Britain cut air links with Sharm el-Sheikh.

Visitor numbers plunged from 9.3 million in 2015 to 5.3 million the following year, Husseini said.

EGYPT: Cairo Bomb Blast 6 Policemen Killed

Six police officers were killed this morning after a bomb exploded near a security services building in the Al-Haram area of Cairo, Egypt.

The police station in Giza received a report that a roadside bomb planted by unknown assailants near a security base near the Al-Salam Mosque.

Civil defence and police forces were dispatched to the scene immediately.

Roads leading to the area were closed following the attack.

CYPRUS: EgyptAir Hijacked, Lands In Larnaca Airport In Cyprus

An EgyptAir passenger plane heading from Alexandria to Cairo has been hijacked and forced to head to Cyprus.

Airline and Egyptian government sources are quoted as saying that the domestic flight travelling from Alexandria to Cairo was taken over by at least one armed hijacker.

They asked for the flight to land in Cyprus, an EgyptAir spokeswoman is quoted as saying.

The Cyprus Broadcasting Corporation reports that 55 people are on board.

There were earlier reports of more than 80 people on board.

EgyptAir flight MS181 is believed to have 55 people on board, with a crew of 7, according to the Cyprus Broadcasting Corporation. Earlier media reports suggested there were about 80 to 81 people on board.

Egyptian civil aviation sources and police confirmed the hijacking and said one man was involved. The plane was an Airbus 320, they said.
The aviation body said a passenger with a suicide belt had threatened the pilot.

A Cypriot official says there were suspicions of a bomb on board. A second official said that there seemed to be "more than one hijacker".

He also added that there have been no demands other than that police vehicles move away from the aircraft.

Both officials spoke on condition of anonymity under regulations.

Dubai-based AL Arabiya reports that the Airbus 320 departed on Tuesday morning. After take-off, an individual on board announced he was wearing a belt with explosives.

EGYPT: Gunmen Fire On Tourist Bus At Cairo Hotel

Two gunmen opened fire at a hotel close to the pyramids of Giza outside Cairo, as tourists boarded a coach, Egyptian security sources have said.

There were no casualties in the attack, which caused some damage to the Three Pyramids Hotel, and the gunmen were arrested soon afterwards, they added.

The driver of the bus told the BBC that the tourists included Israeli Arabs.

Egypt has been battling a jihadist insurgency since the military overthrew President Mohammed Morsi in July 2013.

Militants, largely based in the Sinai Peninsula, have killed hundreds of security personnel and civilians, set off bombs in the capital and attacked Western targets.

In June, gunmen shot dead two policemen a few hundred metres from the pyramids, Egypt's most visible tourist attraction.

An affiliate of the jihadist group Islamic State (IS) has also claimed it planted a bomb on a Russian passenger plane that crashed in Sinai in October, killing all 224 people on board. However, Egypt says it has found no evidence of terrorism.

EGYPT: Egypt Tourist Authority Attracts Arab Travellers

The Egypt Tourism Authority, ETA, has unveiled a new campaign entitled “This is Egypt” (#thisisegypt), to launch a major regional campaign to drive growth in the tourism sector. In a change from previous ETA campaigns, #thisisegypt will be digitally-led, focusing on peer-to-peer advocacy and underpinned by digital media spend, whilst traditional advertising methods will form a secondary promotional level.


Targeting the Arab traveller from the Middle East region, the campaign will harness the power of digital media in a region where internet penetration is 5.8 per cent higher, at 48.1 per cent, than the world average and social media sites, such as Facebook, play a significant role in 88 per cent of internet users’ daily lives.


“The #thisisegypt campaign is a powerful movement which we know will resonate with the wider region as it was created initially by the Egyptian people themselves,” said Egypt’s Minister of Tourism, Hisham Zaazou. “We are at a pivotal point in terms of tourism development in the country and the new campaign and branding demonstrates our commitment in attracting travellers from our sister Arab countries to discover our beautiful country.

”
The campaign focuses on personalising the Egyptian experience by encouraging the wider Arab audience to consider the variety of holiday which can be enjoyed in Egypt from a vibrant city break in Alexandria or Cairo to luxury beach getaway in Hurghada or Sharm Al Shaikh. The campaign will highlight past-times which particularly resonate with an Arabic audience from shopping and dining to enjoying luxury accommodation and exciting nightlife.


The campaign will highlight Egypt’s touristic destinations into four main geographic attractions: the Nile Valley, the Red Sea Riviera, the White Mediterranean and the Western Desert. The four destinations will be promoted across different audiences and seasons based on each of the targeted markets’ unique attraction points.


The hashtag, #thisisegypt, originally began as a grass-roots movement developed by Egyptians, but now will be adopted and refined by the ETA to boost tourism by portraying an experiential and authentic image of the country to the world.
The three-year campaign will focus on attracting and engaging diverse audiences, with a focus on millennials who are driven by personal experience, passion and adventure.

Recent studies have shown that millennials take a higher number of trips annually compared to other age groups, driven by the aforementioned factors. Millennials also have the highest level of influence in their respective communities, which indirectly affects the travel decisions of their peers — upon which this campaign heavily relies.


EGYPT: Nile Air Announce Seventh Destination in Saudi Arabia

Starting from the 7th of August, Nile Air will launch its 6th destination to Saudi Arabia with the launch of services between Cairo and Al-Jawf.

The new service will operate on a twice weekly basis (every Sunday & Friday), offering our customers’ conveniently scheduled and timed flights for our guests.

EGYPT: Nile Air Announce New Flights to Jeddah and Yanbu From December 2015

To meet growing customer demand between Egypt and Saudi Arabia and to offer our guests more options and flexibility when travelling, Nile Air is pleased to announce that services between Cairo and Yanbu will increase from 7 to 14 flights per week (twice per day) from 13th December.

In addition services between Alexandria (Borg Al Arab Airport) to Jeddah will increase from 7 to 10 flights per week (twice per day on Sunday, Wednesday & Friday) from 13th December.

Starting From 15th of December 2015.

EGYPT: Deadly Explosion In Cairo Restaurant Kills 18

A Molotov cocktail hurled at a Cairo restaurant killed 18 people on Friday, Egyptian security officials said.

One of the officials said the attacker was an employee who had been fired from the restaurant in the Agouza area in the center of the Egyptian capital.

Extremist militants have claimed a number of bombing and shooting attacks in Egypt, mostly against members of the security forces since the army toppled President Mohamed Mursi of the Muslim Brotherhood in 2013 after mass protests.

UAE: Sharjah Operators Scoop Aviation Awards

Sharjah-headquartered regional budget carrier Air Arabia and business aviation services operator, Gama Aviation Sharjah, were honoured at the recent Aviation Business Awards (ABA). Organised by magazine publisher ITP Ltd, the annual Aviation Business Awards celebrate the achievements of the Middle East aerospace industry over the past 12 months.

Air Arabia was named both ‘Low Cost Airline of the Year’ and ‘Airline of the Year (Middle East)’ for 2015 at the annual ABA ceremony, while Gama Aviation’s operation at Sharjah International Airport was named 2015 ‘Fixed Base Operator of the Year’.

Commencing operations in Sharjah in 2003, Air Arabia is the largest low-cost carrier operator in the Middle East and North Africa and the only listed airline in the United Arab Emirates. It is the recipient of numerous aviation industry awards including this year’s ‘Best Low-cost Airline in the Middle East’ award, which it has received twice in three years at the annual Skytrax World Airline Awards. The airline was also named ‘Best Low-Cost Carrier’ at World Tourism Forum Awards in Istanbul this year.

Air Arabia has played a key role growing air traffic via Sharjah International Airport. The airline carried over 6.8 million passengers in 2014, 12 per cent more than 2013. The airline now operates from five international hubs, Sharjah and Ras al-Khaimah in the UAE, Casablanca in Morocco, Cairo in Egypt and Amman, Jordan. Air Arabia also recently introduced first regional low-cost carrier loyalty programme.

Gama Aviation has been handling all business aviation services at Sharjah International Airport since early 2012, in partnership with Sharjah’s Department of Civil Aviation, and opened its own private aviation terminal in 2014. The full service private aviation hub serves Sharjah, Dubai and the Northern Emirates, offering business jet owners short and long term parking, plus dedicated ramp handling and fuel. Gama Aviation’s future plans for its Sharjah hub include the construction of a new mixed-use hangar for maintenance and additional aircraft storage.

Gama’s Sharjah FBO was recognised by the Aviation Business Awards for providing customers with outstanding service and facilities over the past 12 months. The award was judged according to a variety of criteria including innovation, design, customer satisfaction and investment in operations.

Sharjah International Airport handled 9.5 million passengers last year and, more recently, saw a 10 percent increase in the number of passengers handled during July, August and September this year, compared with the same period in 2014.