Guidelines
By
Rehab Saad
Airlines and Airports
Domestic flights' prices up
EGYPTAIR has instituted a new pricing system for its domestic flights. The new policy, applying to Egyptians and foreign residents while excluding non-resident foreigners, may increase ticket prices by up to 50 per cent. Amira Ibrahim reports.
Sherif Fathi, director of the EgyptAir Pricing Department, said that prices would be decided for each passenger according to how early the passenger books the ticket, the flight destination, the class of seat chosen and the occupancy percentage of the flight. "The earlier you book your ticket, the cheaper the price," Fathi told Al- Ahram Weekly. He clarified that the new system is only applicable to economy-class passengers, not for those who fly business class. "Also, if there are few seats left in an almost-booked flight, they would be sold at higher prices," he added.
These criteria then classify passengers into four new categories, with tickets either maintaining their original price or increasing in cost by 30, 40 or 50 per cent.
Alexandria Airport change
STARTING from January 2004, British Airways' service to London is set to change airports from Borg Al-Arab to Nozha.
The change is temporary and expected to last approximately three months whilst the Egyptian Aviation Authorities undergo a runway renovation programme at Borg Al-Arab Airport. The service continues to operate to London four times a week on Tuesday, Thursday, Friday and Sunday, returning to Alexandria on Monday, Wednesday, Thursday and Saturday.
Hotels
Mid-year packages
FOR THOSE who haven't booked their coming year vacation yet, there are still few options left in Cairo, Sharm El- Sheikh, Taba, El-Gouna and Luxor for Egyptians and foreign residents.
In Luxor, Sheraton Luxor Resort ((+202) 748 4511) offers three nights for LE611 per person on bed and breakfast basis including a return ticket in collaboration with Karnak Travel Agency ((+202) 575 0957). The offer is subject to change according to civil aviation fares.
In Cairo, Thomas Cook Travel Agency ((+202)417 1260) offers three nights in Movenpick Media City for LE450 per person in a double room on bed and breakfast basis. The offer is valid from mid-January until 6 February. It also offers three nights in Baron. Sharm El- Sheikh for LE480 per person in a double room on bed and breakfast basis valid from mid-January to end of January.
In El-Gouna, Movenpick Resort ((+2065) 544 501) offers double rooms for LE140 per person per night on bed and breakfast basis and for LE215 on half-board basis. The offer is valid from 17 January to end of January.
Sultan Bey ((+2065) 580 077) and Dawar Al-Omda ( (+2065) 580 064) offer double rooms for LE110, LE100 respectively per person per night on bed and breakfast basis or for LE170, LE160, on half-board basis. If you book three nights in either of them, you will get a fourth night free and if you book five nights you will get two more free. The offer is valid from 17 to 28 January. As an alternative, Arena Inn offers double rooms for LE175 per person per night in a double room on all-inclusive basis. All-inclusive denotes that the price includes all food and drinks throughout the day. The offer is valid from 17 to the end of January.
For those with tight budget, Captain's Inn ((+2065) 580 171) and Turtle's Inn ((+2065) 580 170) offer double rooms for LE60 per person per night on bed and breakfast basis and for LE105 on half-board basis. The offer is valid from 17 January to the end of January.
In Taba, the Hyatt Regency ((+2069) 580 234) offers double rooms for LE260 per night on bed and breakfast basis. You have to add a supplement of LE50 if you want to have a room with a sea view. This offer is valid from 10 to 29 January. Starting from 30 January to 8 February, the rate will rise to LE300 per double room per night.
Events
A British gathering in Sharm
SHARM El-Sheikh will host the annual British Retailing Travel Agent Managers Congress in December 2005. The congress is expected to attract about 1,200 travel agents who sell and market tourist packages worldwide. The congress usually has a positive impact on tourism from Britain to the country who hosts it.
Spain, Cyprus and Egypt competed to host the congress.
Between January and October 2003, 300,000 Britons travelled to Egypt. Britain is ranked fourth -- following Italy, Germany and the Commonwealth states -- in terms of volume of visitors to Egypt.
Travel News
Back to the homeland
THE SECOND generation of Egyptian emigrants are the target of a new tourist project launched by the Ministry of Tourism, in cooperation with the Central Agency for Population, Mobilisation and Statistics. The project, entitled "Tourism of Roots", aims to invite the second generation of Egyptian emigrants to visit their families in Egypt and be reacquainted with their homeland.
The Ministry of Tourism has compiled the names of those who emigrated from Egypt and plans to send delegates to contact them abroad and invite them to visit their families in Egypt.
The ministry will contact Egyptian families in France, England, the Netherlands and Germany during the first phase of the project. The second phase will include Asian states that have large Egyptian communities, such as Malaysia. The third phase will include Egyptians who emigrated to the USA, Canada and South America.
Original gate opens
FOR THE first time in 2200 years, visitors to the Edfu Temple in Aswan will be able to enter the temple through its original gate from January 2004.
Minister of Culture Farouk Hosni declared the restoration project complete, at a cost of LE25 million and 18 months or labour. He added that electronic gates as well as closed circuit televisions would be installed later.
Edfu Temple, one of the most beautiful works of the Ptolemaic era, was built in the 10th year of the reign of King Ptolemy III (237BC) and is considered a complete registry of scenes of offerings from the kings to the gods, in addition to housing splendid reliefs of wars and conquests.
