6 - 12 September 2001
Issue No.550
|
Al-Ahram Weekly Online 6 - 12 September 2001 Issue No.550 |
||
| Published in Cairo by AL-AHRAM established in 1875 | Current issue | Previous issue | Site map | ||
Two way tourism
The tourism exchange between Egypt and Britain is in an interesting stage of development. On a recent trip to England, Rehab Saad monitored the latest trends
The tourist balance between Egypt and Britain swings down strongly on the side of Egypt, with numbers of visiting British much greater than that of Egyptians visiting the United Kingdom. In so far as interests are concerned, the balance is way off the scale.
Clockwise from top: Crossing London's Tower Bridge, riding a red bus and feeding the pigeons in Trafalgar Square are some do-it-yourself tourist activities. Top left: A tour group at Luxor temple
But the future for a two-way traffic flow looks bright. Industry members are assessing the requirements of each, and asking why the British come to Egypt, and what is the main attraction of the UK for Egyptians?
Britain is currently fourth on the list of countries sending tourists to Egypt, with 180,904 visitors to the land of the Pharaohs in the first half of this year. This, Egyptian tourist officials say, is an increase of 5.5 per cent over the same period last year.
If one looks at the number of Egyptians travelling to the UK, as British Embassy officials comment, "statistics don't talk."
"I would say that 70 to 80 per cent of the 30,000 visa applications to the UK annually are for tourism. I have no definite number," British Embassy Consul in Cairo Gordon Brown told Al-Ahram Weekly.
There are historical reasons for the discrepancy in numbers. While tourism from the UK to Egypt began well over a century ago, tourists only began trickling from Egypt to the UK in the late 1970s. Egyptians who tour abroad make up a relatively small number of the population, the main cause of this being the financial factor. Furthermore, the currency exchange rates are an obstacle for many. Let us not forget, either, that obtaining a visa is no easy matter.
This is not the only reason for the one- way flow of tourists. British tourists often visit Egypt in groups arranged by travel agencies, and this is a long-established business. Major travel agencies organising holidays to Egypt are Thomas Cook, Thompson, Kuoni, Bales and Zomack, all offering packages at competitive prices. Egyptians, on the other hand, tend to travel to the UK as individuals, and consequently do not benefit from package prices. True, Egyptian travel agents have become aware in recent years that, among the increasing numbers of Egyptians who want to holiday in UK, are many who might be interested in the financial advantages of organised trips, but this has not yet become a trend.
Another interesting difference is goals. British tourists are called the "Lovers of Luxor," "Lovers of the Nile" and "Fans of Egyptian Monuments and Culture." Egyptians want to shop. Hardly any Egyptian can be found at the Tower of London, but you will find them in large numbers in Oxford Street. The British come to Egypt on package tours to see the sites, but don't spend much on other things. Egyptians go to England to spend, spend, spend!
Britain's love affair with Egypt, if one can call it that, goes back to 1869 when Thomas Cook recognised that the best way to see the country's historical sites was by boat and introduced the first paddle- steamer tour. The publication of Amelia Edward's A Thousand Miles up the Nile and Agatha Christie's Death on the Nile added to the British fascination with Egypt. Shepheard's Hotel in Cairo soon became as popular as Aswan's Cataract Hotel, built in 1899, which was sometimes so full that guests had to be accommodated in tents. By the time the Winter Palace was built in 1905, British tourists were flocking to Egypt.
A British airline was one of the first to operate a route to Egypt. Even in the early days of aviation, Imperial Airways, a predecessor of British Airways (BA), demonstrated the pioneering drive and adventure which revolutionised air travel. Soon, Cairo became the hub of Middle Eastern operations, with routes stretching from there to many points in the region.
Gwen Jones, Public Relations Manager of the London-based British Airways Middle East, says Egypt has become increasingly important to the company, to the extent that a number of exclusive services will be provided on board for Egyptian travellers to the UK, and vice versa. She said BA's daily service from London to Cairo by Boeing 747-100 aircraft carried 400 travellers per flight. BA's partner Mediterranean Airways also operates two weekly flights to Alexandria by Airbus 319.
These services have Arabic-speaking cabin crews and an Arabic TV channel. "This is a service for both Egyptians and Arabs," Jones said. "Competition with other airlines serving Egypt and the Middle East is really fierce, and we want to win the battle."
"The Egyptian market is picking up gradually after the hard drop in 1997 in the wake of the Luxor massacre," said Hesham Imam of Eastmar, one of the oldest Egyptian travel agencies, which began working in the British field 49 years ago. "We are now getting 300,000 Britons annually." From only one weekly charter flight operating from London to Luxor (by Thompson) in 1998, the British travel agency is now operating two. By the summer of 2002 the number will increase to three. Another British travel agency, Kuoni, is increasing its flights to Luxor year by year, and is working hard to reach the six charter flights which flew weekly to Luxor prior to 1997.
In spite of the setbacks, there is no doubt that the number of UK tourists to Egypt will continue to outnumber those of Egyptians to the UK. Egyptian travel agents say monuments top the interest list for the British -- apart from the sunshine -- with Nile and Lake Nasser cruises running high. Travellers either embark on a seven-day Nile cruise, or stay in a hotel and take a cruise on the side. Tourists sometimes finish a Nile cruise, and then fly to Cairo to visit its sites before returning to Luxor.
"The Red Sea resorts still need some promotion in the British market," says Steven Newbigging of Thomas Cook. "But the British tend to see Egypt as a cultural destination -- except for young British divers, who go to Sharm El-Sheikh or Dahab -- and even if resorts are well promoted I believe they will never replace the classical tour."
Fortunately, though, the two can be combined. Travellers can spend a week on a cruise, taking in most of the temples and tombs, before spending a weekend in Hurghada to enjoy the sea and relax.
"While Egypt cannot compete with other worldwide resorts -- there are competitive beaches all over the world, in Asia, Africa and America, and many of them are cheaper than those in Egypt -- Egypt's monuments are unique," Hisham Pasha of Isis Travel says. Little wonder that the trend of combined classical tour plus seaside resorts is increasing and attracting many British clients.
Travel agents claim that one of the reasons why British tourists are attracted to Egypt is because it is being sold cheaply in Britain. A glance at some British travel agency catalogues shows organised trips by charter flight are offered by, say, Thompson for comparatively low rates. A seven-night, full-board Nile cruise, including sightseeing and the flight ticket, costs from sterling £739, rising to £1,039 over Christmas and the New Year. A 14- day trip to Upper Egypt including seven days on a five-star, full-board Nile cruise, and another seven bed and breakfast in a five-star hotel, ranges from £999 to £1,379 in peak season. And if a traveller wants to combine his seven-day, full-board Nile cruise with a seven-day stay in Hurghada, prices start at £1,069, rising to £1,285 at New Year and Easter.
With Thomas Cook, which uses scheduled flights -- usually more expensive than charter flights -- a 14-day luxury trip to Egypt is £1,499 including ten nights cruising aboard a five-star vessel, three nights bed and breakfast at a five-tar hotel in Cairo, sightseeing in Cairo and on the Nile, all fully escorted by an experienced tour leader as well as a qualified Egyptologist and guide.
Who can afford not to come to Egypt when an eight-day tour, the Nile Discovery, starts at £599 and a nine-day Nubian Journey (both by Kuoni) is £749? These are not even the cheapest deals -- other companies are offering Egypt for about £500, including a full-board Nile cruise.
But for the Egyptian traveller to the UK, the situation is rather different. There are fewer special offers. Egyptians going to the UK usually find their own hotels, and eat, drink and move around on their own. A UK holiday can be expensive, with the exchange rate one of the main obstacles. One pound sterling now equals more than LE6. But, says Hisham Pasha, each "pound" may have a similar buying power, which means a salad which cost LE6 in Egypt might cost the equivalent of LE35 or LE40 in a London restaurant, while a small bottle of mineral water costs LE6. In this context, there is no need to mention the price of accommodation, and especially of transport. It is, quite simply, off the scale.
True, Egyptian travellers can find their way in the UK and minimise their budgets if they eat in fast food outlets or buy sandwiches for £2 or £3. They can stay in bed and breakfasts or budget hotels from about £25 per person, and the use of daily travel cards for public transport is an advantage. But, as an Eastmar Travel operator argues: "Apart from the exchange rate and other difficulties, a big problem for Egyptians travelling to the UK is getting a visa. This is often the biggest challenge."
A British traveller to Egypt can obtain an on-the-spot Egyptian visa at Cairo airport for only $15. An Egyptian traveller to the UK, on the other hand, has to apply for a visa in advance, It costs LE115 and is non-refundable, even if the application is refused. "Queues of Egyptians stand at the gates of the British Embassy in Cairo waiting to get a visa," the operator says.
Newbigging of Thomas Cook claims that, of all Egyptians wanting and able to afford to travel abroad -- including the UK -- only about 15 per cent are able to obtain a visa. "Single males with no job are turned down for a UK visa, even if they can afford to go," he said.
"This is not true," said Gordon Brown told theWeekly. "We receive more than 30,000 applications for visas to the UK; 95 per cent of them are issued and 90 per cent are even issued on the same day. Some applicants, less than five per cent, go for an interview. The visa officer is fair, and if she is satisfied with the credentials she issues a visa; if not, she refuses. "Each refusal, in fact, is reviewed by myself, which is a second check on the application," Brown added.
Egyptian travellers to the UK must be able to cover their accommodation and have sufficient funds to spend, as well as proof of their intention to leave the country at the end of the visit. "Like any country in the world, we have the problem of people who might stay longer than the period stated in the visa. I believe you have the same problem in Egypt. You can have British tourists who could stay for years in Egypt under a tourist visa," Brown said.
According to Brown, a traveller to the UK might be asked for a bank statement if it were felt necessary, or be asked for a letter from an employer to make sure he or she had a settled future. Previous passports with previous visas were also an asset, as well as various supporting documents from sponsors, if available.
Yet, difficulties notwithstanding, the UK, according to Newbigging, ranks third as a favourable destination for those Egyptians who can afford it. "For them, London is a place where they can shop. There is a rumour that Egyptians in London are the biggest spenders. They sometimes go to buy a year's supply. Sometimes they won't buy for themselves alone, but for their friends and family. One person might be buying for three or four people," Newbigging said.
Will you find Egyptians in, say, Edinburgh, Glasgow or Manchester? Not often. It's London which is the attraction, even though other big cities have the same outlets, like Marks & Spencer and Boots. Another attraction of London is that some Egyptians know Harley Street as a place for medical or dental check-ups.
An Egyptian travel agent, who spoke on condition of anonymity, believes Egyptians would greatly benefit from sightseeing tours. "I can't imagine how an Egyptian could be in London without visiting the Egyptian department in the British Museum. It is part of our history. I can't imagine him missing a visit to the Houses of Parliament, Windsor Castle, the Natural History Museum, the Planetarium, the London Aquarium or even the London Eye. It would be like missing the Egyptian Museum in Cairo or the Pyramids of Giza. There should be more cultural awareness on the part of the Egyptian traveller. Yes, there are some Egyptian travellers who attend plays and concerts in England, but how many?"
© Copyright Al-Ahram Weekly. All rights reserved
 |
|
|||||||||||||||||
| ARCHIVES Letter from the Editor Editorial Board Subscription Advertise! |
WEEKLY ONLINE: www.ahram.org.eg/weekly Updated every Saturday at 11.00 GMT, 2pm local time weeklyweb@ahram.org.eg |
 Al-Ahram Organisation |
Recommend this page