The recent Economic Summit in Sharm El-Sheikh witnessed extensive promotion campaigns to boost Egypt's tourism sector, after four years of decline. It also sought to attract businessmen and investors to implement projects in the sector in various governorates. Head of the Chamber of Goods and Antiquities Mostafa Ezzedine said that the Summit provided Egyptian tourism companies with the necessary aid, by promoting the country's tourism during the coming period. Ezzedine added that the Summit delivered a message that Egypt is safe and is able to protect tourists and tourism investments. It further presented a future vision for projects, to be implemented by international companies. He said that an annual economic Summit will help promote tourism in Sharm El-Sheikh and will allow the recovery of tourism conferences. "No doubt that the success of the Economic Summit will have a positive impact on tourism in Egypt but it will take some time," added Ezzedine. "We are putting hope on the new Minister of Tourism and government policies." Furthermore, according to the Chairman of the Chamber of Tourism Companies and Agencies Tharwat Al-Agamy, the Economic Summit had a significant impact on Luxor and Aswan's tourism which witnessed a significant increase. Al-Agamy added that hotels in Luxor and Aswan and the Luxor International Airport received a noteworthy influx of tourists following the Summit. "Another two planes will arrive next week from London for Luxor and Aswan," Al-Agamy revealed. "Nile cruises between Luxor and Aswan have also resumed after a long suspension and tour guides have regained activity." Al-Agamy, however, criticised the exclusion of Luxor and Aswan from tourist projects that were presented at the Summit. He stressed that tourism in Luxor and Aswan will increase more significantly than in the Red Sea towns of Sharm El-Sheikh and Hurghada. He requested the government completes the recently announced development plan of Luxor and Aswan, as well as development operations of the Kebash Road, to increase the movement of tourists to important archaeological areas. A chamber member, Khalid Al-Shaer, also commented that the Summit will contribute to the boom in tourism in the coming period, and the return of tourism from European, the US and the Middle East. Minister of Tourism Khaled Rami had said in a statement on the sidelines of the Economic Summit that the ministry seeks to boost tourism revenues to $20bn by 2020. Former Minister of Tourism Hisham Zaazou said Egypt received approximately 10 million tourists in 2014, an increase of 44% from 2013. Revenues amounted to approximately $7.5m and is expected to increase along with the number of tourists during 2015.
