The Hindu Business Line : Egypt to raise pitch for Indian tourists

Bangalore, July 21 About 45,000 Indians visited Egypt in the first half of 2007 and the number is expected to touch 80,000 by the year end, said Mr Samy Mahmoud, Tourism Counsellor with Egypt Tourism Authority (ETA) in India.

There is a 25 per cent increase in Indian tourists every year, he said, adding that about 65,000 visited Egypt last year.

The ETA spent close to $0.5 million between June 2006 and July 2007 on promotional campaigns in India. It plans to increase its expenditure on advertisements by 10 per cent this yearand publicise the Egyptian cultural festivals.

Besides, the ETA has tied up with some tour operators in Delhi and Mumbai and has roped in actor Celina Jaitley as the brand ambassador for Egypt in India.

Egypt has invited Amitabh Bachchan to visit the country in September to cash in on his popularity there, Mr Mahmoud said.

The ETA is planning to attract Indian filmmakers to Egypt by offering discounts in hotels and transport. “Cairo has a media city that offers all facilities for film crews,” he said.

The ETA is also keen to host IIFA Awards and Zee Awards in Egypt next year. “We have initiated talks on this and are looking out for sponsors for the same as these are high-cost events.”

Tourism contributes for about 13 per cent of Egypt’s GDP. The country gets maximum tourists from Germany, Italy, Russia and the UK.

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