EGYPT MAKES A RECOVERY

EGYPT’S tourism industry has been slow to recover in the wake of the Arab Spring, but arrivals are bouncing back with government figures showing a 70% year on year increase for the quarter ending September 30, 2014. The country welcomed 2.77 million arrivals during the period and 7.3 million for the year ending 30 September, marking a boost of confidence for wholesalers including A&K, Insight Vacations and Contiki which recently resumed operations in Egypt after pulling out in the wake of the Arab Spring. Bunnik Tours, which never ceased trading, is also confident the industry will perform a full circle and re-emerge as a central tourist hub. “There is a lot of pent up demand for Egypt and we are confident it will bounce back relatively strongly in the coming months,” Bunnik Tours MD Dennis Bunnik said. Once averaging 120 groups per year, Bunnik said current figures were a “dramatic” departure from previous levels, with demand down around 90% since 2010 and group sizes taking a hit from around 24 to 8-10 pax. But with the country’s recovery still in its early stages, he insisted that now was a great time to travel to take advantage of competitive deals. “Egypt has taken a hit in recent years but it’s ripe for people to return before the crowds hit in May and June,” he said. Abercrombie & Kent managing director Sujata Raman agreed, telling travelbulletin that staff on the ground have reported a “return to normality” in Egypt. “There is now a real hope for the future which gives us renewed optimism and the confidence to put our energies back into the destination,” she said. A&K last year launched two new journeys to Egypt including an eight-day exploration of Cairo and the River Nile. Highlights include guided tours to the pyramids, the Sphinx, the Egyptian Museum of Antiquities, and luxury accommodation from $4995.