Marketing and security are necessary for tourism to rebound, Nesma Nowar reports In a bid to enhance and boost tourism in the upcoming period, the tourism committee at the Egyptian Businessmen's Association (EBA) has developed a plan to deal with the current circumstances and revive the tourism industry. Tourism has taken the toughest blow following the 25 January Revolution and it slumped fiercely. The committee has put a quick short term plan that stressed the importance of attaining and intensifying security in all tourist areas, as well as the roads leading to it. "The first thing we have to do is preserve the security of tourists," said Ahmed Balbaa, chairman of the tourism committee, in a seminar held in Cairo this week. Balbaa stated that besides restoring trust in the police, trust should also be restored in businessmen who contribute 70 per cent of the country's GDP. "Of course there were corrupt businessmen like any other sector in Egypt, but this does not mean that all of them are corrupt," he said. He stated that businessmen in the tourism industry have kept the labour and businesses open despite the losses and they are now spending on the execution of ongoing projects and the marketing process in order to get the industry back to its previous levels. To reach previous levels, the plan suggested new ways of attracting tourists to different places in Egypt, based on incentives. Balbaa explained that the industry should re- examine the countries which export tourists to Egypt and set certain goals and a marketing plan for each country. This marketing plan should be supported by direct incentives to trip organisers in order to achieve the desired number of tourists for each tourist destination in Egypt. Balbaa further noted that incentives should be differentiated according to the performance of the tourist areas. "If there is a shortage in number of tourists in a certain area, more incentives should be given in order to increase their number and encourage tourism in this area," he said. The short-term plan has also recommended a government official to formally thank all the countries who have lifted the ban on travelling to Egypt, hoping that Russia, the biggest market exporting tourism to Egypt, could lift the travel ban soon. The plan further demanded an effective electronic network for the Ministry of Tourism through which all the sector could suggest and express opinions about the decisions of the ministry before they are issued. In addition, the plan called for making this year as "the child's year in Egypt". This implies launching an advertising campaign starting May 2011, inviting the world's children to Egypt for free. This would include free hotel accommodation and a subsidised airplane ticket for kids. "I am sure this campaign will encourage all families around the world to come and visit Egypt," Balbaa said.
