Mainland visitors may help revive Egypt's tourism

Warm sunshine, peaceful beaches, colorful reefs and a cup of iced drink are always essentials for a heaven-like vacation, and also compose the reason why Sharm el-Sheikh is famous around the world.

However, as Egypt's most famous tourism city, Sharm el-Sheikh is still suffering from the sluggish income growth in the tourism sector, with hopes for the coming season pinned on a new market, China.

"We have gone through a very tough period because of terrorism," said Egyptian Tourism Minister Yehia Rashed, adding that the declining US dollar income in tourism is the main reason for the current economic woes in his country.

Egypt has been suffering from the weak economy, especially in tourism, the second largest US dollar income sector, over the past few years due to political turmoil.

"Egypt is where history started, and tourism is an industry that embeds culture. We have one-third of the antiquities of the world and the largest beaches on the Mediterranean Sea and the Red Sea, which I believe is very attractive for the Chinese tourists," Rashed said, explaining Egypt's interest in the Chinese market.

"With the testimony of all people, including the Chinese living in Egypt, it is evident that Egypt is safe and a good choice for everyone for holidays," he said.

According to a report by the Egyptian statistics authority, the number of tourists coming to the country declined in May by 51.7 percent, compared to the same month last year, with the main reason being the flight bans by Russia, Britain and some other Western states after the plane accident last year.

At the same time, the number of Chinese visitors to Egypt increased from 65,000 to 135,000 in 2015, while the tourism ministry targets to multiply the number in 2016, given the growing bilateral relations between the two countries.

"The good news is we have witnessed a slow growth in tourists recently, especially during the vocational month in the Arab countries," said Khaled Fouda, South Sinai Governor of Egypt.

"Besides the traditional origins of tourists, now we have turned our eyes on China, a country with a large population and ancient culture, similar to Egypt," the governor said, adding that Sharm el-Sheikh is technologically re-secured now, ready to welcome people from around the world.

He said Chinese people still don't know enough about Egypt. "It means that we have broad prospects in the Chinese market."

He said that years ago, Sharm el-Sheikh was always full of people from Britain and Russia. Now he notices an increasing number of Chinese tourists.

A Chinese student named Li Ruiqing echoed the governor's words that "for most Chinese people, Egypt is still a distant country with mysterious culture. They like beaches and old temples, but they don't know much about Egypt."