The country hopes to attract 16 million tourists by 2014 CAIRO: In a move that would make the ancient god Ra proud, the Egyptian Tourism Authority is hoping to lure millions of tourists with a new advertising campaign. Called "The Gift of the Sun, the campaign is a multi-million pound drive to significantly boost the number of tanorexics and tourists who flock to Egypt every year for sun, sand and more. "We are very excited to be launching a new global advertising campaign that we believe truly reflects the many wonderful experiences Egypt has to offer its visitors, said Zuheir Garana, minister for tourism, in a statement. The campaign will be unveiled in key markets across Asia, Europe and North America over the next two years. In 2005, a record 8.6 million tourists came to Egypt, and the government hopes to attract 16 million annual visitors by 2014. The rollout includes television ads, color brochures and print adverts. While the television spots feature famous Egyptian landmarks like the Pyramids in Giza and the Nile River, they also showcase lesser-known attractions like the Red Sea's underwater reefs and the stunning, desolate beauty of the Upper Egyptian desert. "We believe the new campaign is our most creative and dynamic yet, and we look forward to welcoming more international visitors to Egypt for many years to come, said Garana. Other images featured on the ads include scenes shot at luxury resorts like the Mena House Golf Course and the Soma Bay Sheraton beach resort. The ad campaign will launch in the United Kingdom on Nov. 6 of this year and Garana will travel to London for the World Travel Market, which is one of the world's largest travel shows. Previously, Egypt had marketed itself as a "once in a lifetime destination, but thanks to an added emphasis on sun and sand, tourism officials are hoping that travelers will make return trips. "Obviously, we're hoping that the advertising campaign will showcase what Egypt has to offer, and help boost travel, said Louise Toye, a UK based travel representative who is working in conjunction with the Egyptian Tourism Authority. In 2005, close to 840,000 Britons visited Egypt. Other key markets include countries in Eastern Europe. According to statistics, more than 942,000 Russians visited Egypt in 2005, along with high numbers of travelers from the Czech Republic and Poland. In March, the Egyptian Tourism Authority launched their new website (www.travel.egypt) and as of last month, the site, available in 18 different countries and written in 14 different languages, had logged more than 1.5 million hits.
