Egyptian Tourism Minister Speaks On Sector's Future

Egyptian Minister of Tourism Mr. Zuher Granah announced on Monday that 10 million tourists came to Egypt in 2007, compared to only one million in 1982“The ministry is aiming to raise that number to 14 million by 2011 in order to meet President Hosni Mubarak's party platform”, he added. “Egypt now has 187,000 compared to 18,000 hotel rooms 25 years ago”, the minister has said. According to al-Masry al-Youm newspaper, the minister said that “Egypt has changed its tourism strategy since the 80s when we were dependent on cultural tourism, now the realities changed to include sea tourism, which comes in first place, desert tourism, shopping, religious, health, business and sports tourism”He added that “6 million people, who work in tourism sector, benefit from the income and hard currency that tourism brings” "All countries, including the United States, welcome foreign investors on its land as a way of creating one job opportunity for an Egyptian which costs 51,000 pounds”, the minister reported.Mr. Granah indicated that “foreign investments in Egypt will reach $11.1 billion in the upcoming period that includes $3 billion in the tourism sector”