Egypt’s tourism sector generated $810 million in the third quarter of the local fiscal year, which ended March 31, 2002. This constitutes a 38 percent increase compared to the second quarter’s $587 million results, according to official statistics. Despite the gains, the level was still 22 percent below 2001’s third quarter results of one billion dollars.
The country received 1.1 million tourists in the quarter of 2002 compared to 803 million in the previous quarter ending December 2001. These figures fall below the 1.3 million-arrival mark recorded in the third quarter of 2001, prior to the economic slowdown sparked by the September 11 terrorist attacks on the United States.
Egypt received a total of 4.65 million tourists in 2001. Arab visitors represent 20 to 25 percent of Egypt’s tourism traffic, ranking in second place after European travelers. The Egyptian government aims to attract 9.5 million tourists into the country by 2005. — (menareport.com)
© 2002 Mena Report (www.menareport.com)
