African trade ministers meet in Cairo to push forward with AfCFTA    Scatec's $3.6bn renewables portfolio part of Egypt's NWFE energy pillar    Egypt's stocks end lower on Sept 16    Egypt launches international architecture academy with UNESCO, European partners    Egypt's President, Pakistan's PM condemn Israeli attack on Qatar    Egypt's PM, Russian deputy PM discuss industrial zone, Dabaa nuclear plant    Egypt signs MoUs with 3 European universities to advance architecture, urban studies    Sisi tells global leaders at Macron's video conference: Israel crossed all red lines    Egypt to begin second phase of universal health insurance in Minya    Madrid trade talks focus on TikTok as US and China seek agreement    Power of Proximity: How Egyptian University Students Fall in Love with Their Schools Via Social Media Influencers    Egypt wins Aga Khan Award for Architecture for Esna revival project    Egypt's Foreign Minister, Pakistani counterpart meet in Doha    Egypt condemns terrorist attack in northwest Pakistan    Egypt advances plans to upgrade historic Cairo with Azbakeya, Ataba projects    Egyptian pound ends week lower against US dollar – CBE    Egypt hosts G20 meeting for 1st time outside member states    Lebanese Prime Minister visits Egypt's Grand Egyptian Museum    Egypt to tighten waste rules, cut rice straw fees to curb pollution    Egypt seeks Indian expertise to boost pharmaceutical industry    Egypt prepares unified stance ahead of COP30 in Brazil    Egypt harvests 315,000 cubic metres of rainwater in Sinai as part of flash flood protection measures    Al-Sisi says any party thinking Egypt will neglect water rights is 'completely mistaken'    Egyptian, Ugandan Presidents open business forum to boost trade    Egypt's Sisi, Uganda's Museveni discuss boosting ties    Egypt's Sisi warns against unilateral Nile measures, reaffirms Egypt's water security stance    Greco-Roman rock-cut tombs unearthed in Egypt's Aswan    Egypt reveals heritage e-training portal    Sisi launches new support initiative for families of war, terrorism victims    Egypt expands e-ticketing to 110 heritage sites, adds self-service kiosks at Saqqara    Palm Hills Squash Open debuts with 48 international stars, $250,000 prize pool    On Sport to broadcast Pan Arab Golf Championship for Juniors and Ladies in Egypt    Golf Festival in Cairo to mark Arab Golf Federation's 50th anniversary    Germany among EU's priciest labour markets – official data    Paris Olympic gold '24 medals hit record value    A minute of silence for Egyptian sports    Russia says it's in sync with US, China, Pakistan on Taliban    It's a bit frustrating to draw at home: Real Madrid keeper after Villarreal game    Shoukry reviews with Guterres Egypt's efforts to achieve SDGs, promote human rights    Sudan says countries must cooperate on vaccines    Johnson & Johnson: Second shot boosts antibodies and protection against COVID-19    Egypt to tax bloggers, YouTubers    Egypt's FM asserts importance of stability in Libya, holding elections as scheduled    We mustn't lose touch: Muller after Bayern win in Bundesliga    Egypt records 36 new deaths from Covid-19, highest since mid June    Egypt sells $3 bln US-dollar dominated eurobonds    Gamal Hanafy's ceramic exhibition at Gezira Arts Centre is a must go    Italian Institute Director Davide Scalmani presents activities of the Cairo Institute for ITALIANA.IT platform    







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Egypt's tourism gets boost as historic Nile cruise set to return
Published in Bikya Masr on 11 - 03 - 2012

Sailing the Nile River in Egypt has always been a huge tourism boost for the country, but for the past 16 years, the an historic route on the river had been put on hold. Now, tour operators and the ministry of tourism are hopeful restarting the Cairo-Aswan cruises will help bring back tourists who have gone elsewhere as Egypt faces political, social and economic unrest.
“We really hope that this will increase people coming because it was a successful route in years past,” Alexandria-based tour operator Waleed Ghanem told Bikyamasr.com via telephone.
The ministry of tourism confirmed at the ITB Berlin Travel Expo that the historic route between Cairo and Aswan in Upper Egypt will be back on schedule, increasing hopes of a return to pre-uprising tour levels, which have dropped sharply in the past year as a result of the unrest in the country.
Egyptian Minister of Tourism Mounir Fakhry Abdel Nour told attendees that the long Nile cruises between the capital Cairo and the southern city of Aswan would be resumed after a 16-year break.
The plan, first announced in November last year, will allow boats to once again pass along the stretch of the Nile between Cairo and Luxor, reportedly as soon as May, with the government ploughing money into cultural attractions and ports to improve the experience.
The voyages were stopped in the 1990s because of security and environmental concerns, with current cruise vacations taking in the sites between Luxor and Aswan.
Visitors previously were only allowed to go as far north as Luxor, stopping along the way at numerous ancient Egyptian sites.
“I will be one of the first to get on that boat because it is supposed to be an amazing journey and one that my wife and I want to try,” said American English language instructor Travis.
Egypt hopes its participation at the ITB Berlin event, will help spur its tourism industry which was seen the total arrivals in 2011 down by a third to to 9.8 million, compared with 14.7 million in 2010, officials said.
As part of the effort, new attractions such as the Grand Egyptian Museum are taking shape — in this case a pyramid shape — quickly.
Likely to be the largest archaeological museum in the world when it opens next year, the $500 million museum will hold some 100,000 ancient Egyptian artifacts.
Construction had stopped during the previous regime over funding issues with the National Bank of Japan.
BM
ShortURL: http://goo.gl/pBs4E
Tags: Aswan, Cairo, Cruise, featured, Nile, Tourism
Section: Egypt, Latest News, Travel


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