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Targeting Arab leisure travellers

Both public and private sectors in Egypt have join their hands to boost tourism in the Red Sea area — Sharm El Sheikh and Hurghada.

EgyptAir and Iberotel Hotels and Resorts recently arranged a media familiarisation programme for the two fast emerging holiday destinations on the world’s tourism map. The two cities on the Red Sea diversify the tourism base in Egypt and today have become the favourite holiday spots for Europeans and Russians.

Tourism authorities in the country are now focusing on Middle East, China and other Asian states for the first time to attract more leisure travellers, businessmen and bankers. The prime target is to focus on high spending Arabs and expatriates living in the GCC countries in general and the UAE residents in particular who used to spent their vacations in Europe or Far East countries.

“High spending nationals and expatriates living in the GCC states are our prime target in order to boost tourism in Red Sea area,” a senior official of Iberotel Hotels and Resorts said.

“Middle East is the key market. We are approaching the region and other Asian markets for the first time by introducing the two key cities on the Red Sea having equipped with all modern day entertainment facilities that one could wish to avail during their holidays,” said Alaa Akel, regional manager, Madinat Makadi and Madinat Coraya Regions.

“Britons, Germans, Italians and Russians are our main clients so far, but we need to further expand the business in other key markets in Asia,” said Hani Gamal El Din, general manager of Madinat Makadi.

“So far representation from GCC region is very thin. Only few customers from Saudi Arabia, Qatar and the UAE come to Red Sea holiday destinations,” another manager at Jaz Mirabel Beach Resort said.

“We have space to welcome new guests and corporate customers from Middle East and Asian markets,” he said.

He acknowledged that Dubai remains the favourite tourist destination in the Middle East. “Dubai is a hub of tourism and business in the region and we are simply trying to follow its role model,” he said.

But a tourist at famous Na'ama Bay market expressed a different view and said: “Dubai is no more a cheap holiday destination and it will have to do a lot to retain its position in days to come.”

CONFERENCE DESTINATION: Egypt in past few years also emerged as a first-class conference destination with superb meeting and conference facilities represented in International Conference Centre in Cairo and Convention Centre in Sharm El Sheikh besides various five-star hotels and beach resorts along the Red Sea, Sinai and Upper Egypt.

“We have successfully organised World Economic Forum in Sharm El Sheikh last year and now we would like to attract corporate clients from Middle East to hold their conferences, annual meetings and seminars in Egypt,” said Heba Momtaz, corporate business and special events manager of Karnak.

“Sharm will again host the World Economic Forum in May 2009,” she said adding that the country can cater the needs of corporate clients in case they hold their business meetings in Egypt. “We are targeting businessmen, bankers and multinational companies to make Egypt a corporate hub in the region,” she added.

Nagy Abdullah, contracting manager of Karnak, said Egypt has potential to host international conference and seminars.

He said Karnak is a subsidiary fully owned by EgyptAir holding company. It has been the star in organising every conference, championship or any other special event carried out in Egypt such as the AVEX 2006, World Economic Forum and AFRAA.