São Paulo – According to Reuters, Egypt’s tourism revenues reached US$ 2 billion from July to September of this year. The sum means a 112% increase over the same period of 2013.
“Egypt’s tourism income reached US$ 2 billion in the third quarter this year in comparison to US$ 900 million from the third quarter of last year”, Adela Ragab, representative of Arab country’s Ministry of Tourism told Reuters. “The number of tourists reached 2.8 million in comparison to 1.6 million in the same quarter (third) of last year”, she said.
The tourism industry is key in Egypt’s economy and it had taken a hit with the constant protests that shook the country and were the reason for the falling of then president Hosni Mubarak in 2011. Tourism was again affected by the deposition of Islamist president Mohammed Mursi by the military junta in 2013.
According to Reuters, public safety in the country has gotten better, except in parts of the Sinai region, in which the government is still clashing against Islamic insurgents.
According to the news agency, Egypt hosted more than 14.7 million tourists in 2010. After the Arab Spring protests, in 2011, the number dropped to 9.8 million. In 2012, there was a raise, reaching 11.5 million. In 2013, a new drop, with the number setting at 9.5 million, and revenues reaching US$ 5.9 billion.
*Translated by Sérgio Kakitani
