Minister of Civil Aviation Mohamed Manar Enaba has announced that his ministry will grant airlines discounts on certain services at airports in South Sinai, Hurghada and Matrouh. This will see airlines given a 50% discount on landing and parking fees, and a 20% discount on ground services, whilst all necessary facilities for travel and arrival will be provided. Enaba's remarks came during a bilateral meeting with Minister of Tourism and Antiquities Khaled El-Anany on Tuesday. During the meeting, a group of incentives was discussed to encourage inbound tourism once Egypt's Cabinet decides to resume international flights. Former Chairperson of the Egyptian Tourism Federation (ETF) Elhamy El-Zayat praised the move providing airlines with discounts as proactive. He stated that it will encourage inbound tourism to Egypt subject to the resumption of international tourism. El-Zayat told Daily News Egypt that as tickets are the main source of income for Egypt's aviation companies, the effectiveness of the discounts will be dependent on certain factors. This will depend on when international tourism resumes, which countries open up and when tourists take the step in returning to Egypt. During the meeting, the ministers noted that the Ministry of Petroleum last month agreed to reductions in aviation fuel prices, bringing the total value of the reduction to 10 cents per gallon. The move will be applied once air traffic returns permanently nationwide, and at the cabinet-determined time. “Before the coronavirus crisis, the Ministry of Tourism and Antiquities adopted a new policy to connect cultural tourism along the Nile Valley with coastal tourism on the Red Sea by providing, for the first time, a flight from Sharm El-Sheikh to Luxor," El-Anany said. He noted that the first flight for this route was in February 2020, shortly before Egypt closed its airports to all international flights. The Ministry of Tourism and Antiquities offered EgyptAir passengers travelling on international flights a 20% discount on entrance tickets to museums and archaeological sites nationwide, as well as visiting passes. At the end of the meeting, Enaba stressed the readiness of Egyptian airports to receive tourists. He emphasised all precautionary and preventive measures will be applied in accordance with instructions from the World Health Organization (WHO) and Egypt's Ministry of Health. This will ensure the health and safety of travellers to and within Egypt.
