CAIRO: Egypt's Minister of Tourism, Mounir Fahkry Abdel Nour, has called on Russia to lift restrictions and the travel ban it imposed on tourists wishing to travel to Egypt. Abdel Nour said in statements that Russians represent the largest source of tourists to Egypt, estimated at 25.3 percent of all tourists, and added that in 2010, at least 2.8 million Russians visited Egypt, while in the year before, 2 million Russians visited the country. Egypt's tourism industry has suffered greatly since the outbreak of a popular uprising at the end of January which led to the resignation of Egypt's 30-year dictator. Russia warned its citizens against visiting Egypt following the 25 January uprising, which overthrew the regime of former president Hosni Mubarak. Italy has already left the travel ban to Egypt, while countries like Denmark, Sweden ,Germany ,and Austria said they will reduce the travel warnings gradually. BM