Egypt offers Russians an alternative to Sharm el-Sheikh and Hurghada
Regular flights between Moscow and Cairo were resumed last week, and this fact gave rise to a new conversation about the resumption of charters to the Red Sea.
Deputy Prime Minister Arkady Dvorkovich said that the negotiations between Russia and Egypt This will take place when our country is confident in the effectiveness of the security measures adopted by the Egyptian authorities.
Tourism business of Egypt offers Russia an alternative beach holiday and sightseeing destinations.
Tours for 4-5 days Cairo - Luxor and Aswan, and travel to the resorts of the Mediterranean Sea - El Alamein and Alexandria, and Ain Sokhnu on the Red Sea. Ain Sokhna resort is little known to organized tourists of the Russian Federation, but this option is convenient for its location, because between Cairo and the resort is only 140 kilometers.
In addition, Ain Sokhna is closer to the second major city of Egypt - Alexandria (350 km). There is the possibility of a day bus tour to Alexandria from the nearest Ain Sokhna.
According to the plan of the Egyptians, the Russians fly to Cairo, settle in a budget hotel and watch the main attractions, and then go to the beach in Ain Sokhna. There are 3 to 5 star hotels in this resort, but no all-inclusive system has been developed.
Mustafa Khalil, a member of the Egyptian-Russian Business Council, reported that tours for 4 days / 3 nights with a stay in Ain Sokhna or Alexandria cost from $ 600 (flight from Moscow is included). According to him, the cost of tours varies depending on the resort and the method of transfer.
The farthest place to take Russian tourists from Cairo is called Hurghada. The former head of the Federation of Tourist Chambers of Egypt Ilhami Al-Zayat is sure that the Cairo-Hurghada tour will be the most interesting for tourists, because it is well known, and due to the cost of transfer to Hurghada - about $ 30 per person. The expert is sure that it is necessary to promote the Egyptian product now, because trips to Aswan, Luxor, the Mediterranean or to new resorts of the Red Sea will attract a different audience of tourists from Russia. He agreed that the Egyptian travel business in the formation of packages should focus on the amount of $ 600, which on average Russians spent on vacation in Egypt, including a ticket and “all inclusive”.
Atef Aglan, a representative of the Ministry of Tourism of the Republic of Egypt, notes that some tourist organizations of Egypt form special tourist products for Russian tourists, they will help “break the Turkish monopoly on the Russian market.” He is confident that the opening of charters from Russia to Egypt will attract up to 4 million Russian tourists a year.
In Egypt, there are skeptics who are not sure about the interest of Russians in cultural tourism and other resorts.
Nora Ali, head of the Egyptian Federation of Tourist Chambers, believes that it is very difficult to reorient tourists from Russia from the beaches of Egypt to cultural tourism sites in Luxor and Aswan. Tourists from Russia will consider Ain Sokhna hotels more expensive than the usual hotels with an all-inclusive program in Sharm el-Sheikh or Hurghada.
According to information: atorus