By Ahmed Saad Airline companies said that they are closely monitoring the results of Egypt's upcoming referendum, and its effect on tourism in Hurghada, Sharm al-Sheikh and Taba, considered to be the country's three primary tourist destinations. An official within Egypt Air claimed that the average number of international and local flights coming into Egypt over the last two weeks has become consistent at 300 per day, a 25 per cent decrease compared to previous weeks. The official claimed that the number of passengers entering and leaving Egypt per day totalled 30,000; an estimated 5,000 of these passengers were foreigners. A source within Turkish Airlines claimed that the number of flights entering Egypt has stabilised despite the level of political instability currently witnessed in the country. He added that Turkish airline companies have been forgiving passengers for fees incurred as a result of changing or cancelling their scheduled flight dates. The number of Turkish tourists who had entered Egypt in 2012 totalled 100,000, compared to 60,000 in 2010. The official further went on to say, that this increase in tourism may well be the result of a drop in ticket prices for planes headed to Hurghada and Sharm Al-Sheikh, from EGP 1500 to EGP 800. Mervat El-Alfy, director of British Airways in Egypt, said that the number of flights coming from the UK has stabilised despite the political instability currently being witnessed in Egypt. She further stated that at least one flight leaves daily from the UK to Egypt, seven total per week, and that she does not expect that number, or the number of passengers on those flights, to change any time soon. According to recent statistics from the Ministry of Tourism, planes are still the primary means of transportation for tourists entering the country, making up 97 per cent of all trips entering Egypt. Furthermore, 60 per cent of all tourists entering Egypt do so on charter flights, especially those to Aswan, Luxor, Hurghada and Sharm Al-Sheikh.
