The total returns on Egyptian tourism sector reached US$1.2 billion during the first seven months of 2016 versus US$4 billion a year earlier, making a 69% decrease. Speaking to Amwal Al Ghad Monday, Chairman of Egyptian Tourism Authority (ETA), Sami Mahmoud stated that returns on tourism recorded $186 million in January, $133 million in February, $180 million in March, $176 million in April, $177 million in May, and $127 million in June 2016. He clarified that this drop is due to the decline in rate of tourists coming to Egypt resulted from the ban imposed by a number of European states on flights to Egypt amid the Russian plane crash in October 2015. In October 2015, a Russian plane crashed in Egypt's Sinai peninsula killing all 224 passengers and crew on board.
