Egypt launches Saudi marketing drive to boost tourism

Published 13 Jun,2021 via Arab News - Economy RIYADH - Saudi Arabia is among the top markets for tourism in Egypt, and now that the Kingdom has opened its borders for international travel, the Egyptian Tourism Promotion Board (ETPB) is ramping up its marketing drive in the Kingdom.

Ahmed Youssef, chairman of the ETPB, told Arab News: “Revenues from tourism reached the highest point at $12.6 billion in 2019. Saudi Arabia ranked among the top countries for travel to Egypt before the pandemic. The Saudi market represents the first and most important Arab market, ranking fifth for visitors to Egypt. The trend continued into the first two months of 2020 that recorded 8 percent year-on-year growth in terms of numbers and revenues, with 2.4 million tourists visiting the country during this period.”

Tourism is a big revenue generator for Egypt, reaching $13 billion in 2019. About 3.5 million visitors traveled to the country last year, compared to 13.1 million in 2019. Although numbers are still below pre-pandemic levels, many establishments have resumed operations in a bid to kick-start the tourism sector, the chairman said.