Guidelines
By Compiled by Rehab Saad
Airlines and airports
Airport Developments
SEVERAL new projects were inaugurated recently in Sharm El-Sheikh airport. The airport building was expanded by 40 per cent to accommodate the increasing number of passengers using the terminal. In addition a new passenger hall will be built at a cost of $50 million. The hall is expected to accommodate 2500 passengers per hour and will be financed by the World Bank. In addition a new passenger hall measuring 4000 square metres will open at Luxor airport in March 2005.
14 routes cancelled
FOLLOWING major financial losses, Egypt's national carrier EgyptAir will halt the operation of 14 international routes. From the end of March, flights between Cairo and Harare, Dar Es-Salam and Entebbe will be terminated. European routes between Cairo and Hamburg, Kiev, Stockholm, Copenhagen and Zurich will be discontinued as well as two Fareastern flights namely Cairo-Manila and Cairo-Karachi. Middle Eastern routes have also been reduced. Flights scheduled for termination are those between Aden, Fujairah, and Ras Al- Kheima. The domestic route of Cairo-Al-Wadi Al- Gadid (the New Valley) ceased last month. Sources in EgyptAir said that there was also pressure to close the Cairo-Marsa Alam route because of the high cost of taking off and landing at Marsa Alam airport.
Lufthansa CityLine award
LUFTHANSA CityLine, which operates one of the quietest and most modern fleets in regional air transport, has implemented cutting edge improvements in noise reduction at European airports. Good reason, then, for Amsterdam's Schiphol Airport to honour the airline's commitment by awarding it first prize in its "Noise Abatement" category. CityLine's current fleet of 81 jets has an average age of about six years and is one of the youngest in European regional air transport. All CityLine aircraft operate below -- in some cases significantly below -- permitted levels of noise issued by the International Civil aviation Organisation (ICAO).
Hotels
Summer promotion
LOOKING for a discounted Nile cruise excursion this summer? If so book yourself a double cabin on one of Sonesta's Nile cruises immediately (+ 202 262 8111) and qualify for a 50 per cent discount on a second double cabin for the same period.
The offer is valid for Egyptians and foreign residents for the months of June and July 2004 only and is subject to availability. Reservations must be made by 31 March 2004. The package also includes a sightseeing and nightly entertainment programme. Children up to 12 years go free provided they share their parents' cabin. Only one free child is permitted per cabin.
An adventurous break
IF YOU are a traveller with high endurance levels and an avid sense of adventure, consider booking yourself onto one of the Ritz Carlton Hotel Sharm El-Sheikh's desert excursions. Based on a theme of "survival of the fittest", the hotel organises a trek to the white sand dunes, followed by a 45-minute camel ride to Makhroum Mountain. Guests can also ride a quad runner to Nawamis and count the burial chambers; sand ski to the Rock of Inscription dating from the Nabatean civilisation around 2000 years ago; or hike to Ain Khudra. You can then complete the adventure with a drive to Wadi Ghazala. The "quad runners thrill" theme is another exciting desert experience where travellers explore the desert in four wheel drive cars ideally suited for the desert terrain.
For more information contact the Ritz Carlton Sharm El-Sheikh ((+2069) 661 919).
Travel news
Tourist boom
REPORTS from the Ministry of Tourism declared recently that Egypt witnessed a boom in tourism in 2003 with more than six million visitors to the country. This is the highest number ever recorded. The most popular country of origin was Italy followed by Germany, Russia, the UK, and France.
Minister of Tourism Dr Mamdouh El-Beltagui commented that this figure has been achieved despite regional events such as the US-led war on Iraq. He added that 33 new tourist projects were launched in 2003 providing 9150 rooms at the total cost of LE1.8 billion.
Entrance fees increase
ENTRANCE fees for all Egyptian sites will increase by 75 per cent from next November. The increase had been scheduled for July but was postponed to give Egyptian travel agencies sufficient time to inform tour operators abroad of the new fees.
Events
A motorbike excursion
BETWEEN 26 December 2004 and 3 January 2005, a French company will organise a motorbike tour through several Egyptian cities for participants from France, Belgium and Canada. Some 120 people are expected to take part. They will arrive by cruiseboat at the port of Alexandria from where they will start their trip to Cairo, Giza, Taba, Sharm El-Sheikh, Dahab, Suez, and Fayoum before returning to Alexandria and their native countries.
The Egyptian Ministry of Tourism will provide extensive media coverage of the tour in a bid to promote Egypt's tourist sites and to demonstrate Egypt's ability to organise such events. "The Ministry of Tourism is keen to sponsor various sports, artistic and cultural events in order to diversify Egypt's attractions and satisfy the different tastes of travellers coming from the four corners of the world," said Dr Mamdouh El- Beltagui, minister of tourism.
MTF 2004
PREPARATIONS are underway for the fifth round of Egypt's Mediterranean Travel Fair (MTF) that will take place at the Cairo International Conference Centre (CICC) from 4 to 16 September 2004. So far 15 countries have participated in the exhibition including middle and eastern European countries in addition to Mediterranean and Arab states. Eighteen international charter flights will organise one-day trips to the MTF and for the first time, about 500 tour operators and travel agencies dealing with incentive tourism will participate in the three day event.
The MTF is organised by the British company Reed Travel Exhibitions in cooperation with the Egyptian Ministry of Tourism, the Egyptian Tourist Authority, the Egyptian Federation of Tourist Chambers, the Egyptian Hotel Association, the Egyptian Travel Agents Association and the national carrier EgyptAir.
