The Egyptian government is hiring Control Risks Group (CRG) to review and evaluate the Egyptian security measures at airports. Egypt is strongly committed to securing airports, Minister of Tourism Hisham Zaazou said during the press conference Tuesday. Flight security and tourism safety is a top priority of the Egyptian government. CRG will evaluate all security measures at Egyptian airports in cooperation with the Egyptian government, and the group will be responsible for meeting foreign security delegations, he said. Russia and Britain suspended their flights to Egypt in the wake of the Russian civilian plane crash in Sinai on 31 October. Russian and British tourism account for about 70% of the total tourism to the city of Sharm El-Sheikh. About three million Russian tourists visited Egypt in 2014 and spent EGP 2.2bn. Egyptian Prime Minister Sherif Ismail formed a committee under his chairmanship to choose an international company to review the procedures of securing airports. The committee includes the Ministers of Tourism, Interior, Civil Aviation, and other sovereign entities. The tourism sector is a cornerstone for the Egyptian economy, accounting for 11.3% of GDP. "Egypt is ready to receive tourists and the return of flights to all regions in light of the current review of the security procedures at airports," Zaazou said. He claimed an estimated loss of EGP 2.2bn in the tourism sector after the Russian plane crash in Sinai on 31 October. The winning British company will start its work with the Sharm El-Sheikh airport and continue on to Cairo International Airport. Tourist areas on the Red Sea coast in South Sinai, in Hurghada and in Marsa Alam, acquire more than 85% of the total tourist traffic to Egypt.
