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Al-Ahram Weekly 21 - 28 January 1999 Issue No. 413 
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Published in Cairo by AL-AHRAM established in 1875 |
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Al-Ahram Weekly 21 - 28 January 1999 Issue No. 413
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| Published in Cairo by AL-AHRAM established in 1875 |
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Egypt Region International Book Fair Economy Opinion Culture Features Living Travel Sports People Time Out Chronicles Cartoons Letters Briefs
German confidence
EGYPT was proclaimed a major tourist investment destination in the Middle East in Touristik Report, a German tourist magazine. According to the article, one of the big German associations has decided to invest in hotels here, three of which have already been opened in Sharm Al-Sheikh and Hurghada. After the success of the Congress of German Travel Agencies Association, recently held in Cairo, several articles on Egypt appeared in German magazines and newspapers. Although most concentrated on tourist destinations like Luxor, Aswan and Hurghada, which were visited by members after the Congress, DRV Touristik Forum and Reise Journal both carried stories about security. One was entitled, "Egypt is completely safe." The other was, "The security plan in Egypt."International applause
THE YEAR 1998 saw many articles written about Egypt published in international tourist magazines in Austria, America, Sweden, Scotland, Spain, England and South Africa. According to a report published recently by the Ministry of Tourism, the stories dealt with antiquities, the most important destinations as well as special events-- including the opera Aida -- organised by the Ministry of Tourism throughout the year. Swedish and South African newspapers focused on the Nile and the luxurious cruises that can be taken between Luxor and Aswan. The Spanish magazine El Mundo published a piece on the sunken treasures recently discovered in Alexandria's eastern harbour. British magazines, including Dive International and The Sunday Times concentrated on the Red Sea which they consider a Mecca for divers and water sports lovers. Both magazines praised Gouna resort on the Red Sea coast, a complex of hotels and tourist villages north of Hurghada, as well as the areas situated south of Hurghada following a decision to build an international airport in Marsa Alam.British-Japanese links
EARLIER this month, British Airways and Japan Airlines announced plans to link up their frequent flight schemes and share up in order to make, among other things, travelling easier between Europe and Japan. The two airlines intend to establish a comprehensive and long-term relationship to improve services to their customers and plan to further develop their relationship to other areas including, hopefully, Egypt.New resorts
LE MERIDIEN Hotel in Egypt has plans to open seven new resort hotels on the Gulf of Suez, Aqaba and Hurghada in the next few years. The first to open will be the five-star Le Meridien Makadi Bay in September 1999. Situated 22 kilometres south of Hurghada Airport, it will have 423 rooms, 153 bungalows and 208 chalets. In Ras Sudr, a 150-room and 130-villa hotel will be built in 2001. In Marsa Alam, 250 kilometres south of Hurghada Airport, Le Meridien will have a 250-room hotel. In Taba on the Gulf of Aqaba, two resorts are scheduled to be built, Le Meridien Taba with 250 rooms and Le Royal Meridien Taba, with 400 rooms. Finally, in Ein Al-Sokhna in the Gulf of Suez, two other hotels will open: Le Meridien Al-Ein Bay and Le Meridien Al-Ein Gulf. They will have 250 and 150 rooms respectively. Both are scheduled to open in 2001.Oneworld alliance
AMERICAN Airlines, British Airways, Canadian Airlines, Cathy Pacific Airways and Qantas Airways have begun implementing their Oneworld global alliance. The five airlines phased together a wide range of initiatives designed to provide their 174 million passengers with improved levels of service and benefits, greater value and increased opportunities for rewards and recognition when flying to the more than 600 destinations worldwide served by the oneworld carriers. These include closer linking of their frequent flyer programmes. Other initiatives also allow smoother transfers for passengers travelling across the global networks of the five carriers. Oneworld signs have already started to appear in airport terminals, shops and various other premises used by the five carriers.Compiled by Rehab Saad
