'Egypt is just like Mumbai'

Says the country's tourism director in a bid to pull the industry out of Rs 100-cr slump; adds that the recent unrest will only add to the nation's charm

After over a fortnight of violent protests that culminated in its freedom from tyranny, Egypt is set to revive its magnetism for Indian tourists.


Tourists pose for photos on a camel near the Giza pyramids in Giza, Egypt, days after the
anti-Mubarak protests

The country's tourism industry, which the civil unrest set back by Rs 100 crore, is going full pelt for an image makeover to make the Mumbaikar feel safe and "at home" in a country still recovering from the ravages of protest. And the image the country is aiming at is a romantic one.

India being a strong market (see box), the Egyptian Tourism Board (ETB) appealed to potential vacationers in the country, and more narrowly, in the city.

Adel Masry, director, Egyptian Tourism Office, said, "In Egypt you will feel like you are in Mumbai, you will feel at home. We have come up with new strategies to build a new image for the country," he said.

In fact, ETB's comeback strategy includes a showing at the three-day Travel & Trade Fair (TTF) at Bombay Convention & Exhibition Centre in Goregaon.u00a0 At the expo, the African nation will re-package itself as a honeymoon destination.

Said Masry, "To remove the uncertainty that tourists had in their mind, we decided to participate in the trade fair, which will be a platform for us to prove our point.

We will promote Egypt as the best honeymoon destination by promoting more places as romantic getaways."

Toward the same end, the board has undertaken several measures (see box). And the makeover is not just for the newly-weds. To woo business travellers from the city, ETB is also planning to promote Egypt as a Meeting and Incentive Conference Event (MICE) destination, Masry revealed.

Lure of wounded

Masry sounds almost convincing when he says that the national spectacle the country witnessed in the past days will actually add to its touristy charm. He feels the unrest will attract more vacationers, now that things are settling down.

"The way tourists flocked to France after the French revolution to see how the country was, we hope the unrest brings us more tourists too. After the turmoil the country has seen, more people would want to see how it is," he said, quite convincingly.

In fact, the director believes tourists who turned towards Dubai will soon return to Egypt again.

On a more reassuring note, he added, "We just don't want people to mix this episode with a threat to their security. Egypt was, is, and will remain a safe country," said Masry.

Rebellion's cost

The promotional efforts come after the losses the country's tourism suffered because of the unrest.

The uprising cost the country about $1billion in the first nine days of the protests, sending one million tourists packing to safer places.

The hotel occupancy in Egypt dropped down from almost 75 per cent before the protests to 11 per cent last week, a newspaper report revealed.

1.14 L
The number of Indian tourists that went to Egypt in 2010-2011

Did you know?
Tourism accounts for more than 11 per cent of Egypt's GDP.

Damage control
To rectify the damage, the Egyptian government is undertaking security arrangements for tourists. Masry said, "The government is taking all possible measures to make people feel safe. We are in talks with tour operators and are ensuring that Indians turn towards Egypt." The ETB also plans to spend more on a joint tourism campaign with India, and add a sixth flight to the subcontinent.

Fact file

Rs 70 lakh
The amount the BMC spends on food for animals at the zoo besides the Rs 2 crore spent onu00a0 maintenance annually

3,213
The number of trees, belonging to 285 different species, in the 53-acre zoo

25
Number of new species that will be brought in as part of a revamp

Rs 480cr
The amount needed for the revamp, which is in limbo as it has not yet been approved by the Mumbai Heritage Conservation Committee