Guidelines
Airlines and airportsMarsa Alam boom
MARSA Alam, a new tourist resort south of Hurghada, has witnessed a significant tourist boom in the last few months. Marsa Alam International airport reported 17,766 passenger arrivals during the month of August, with total inbound/ outbound traffic totalling 34,818 as popularity soared.
"We have received more than 200,000 visitors through the airport since we opened in November 2001," remarks James Pringle, senior counsellor of the M A Kharafi Group, the developer and Build-Operate-Transfer (BOT) concessionaire for the airport. "We are witnessing a marked increase in visitors from countries other than that of their point of departure. Currently flights arrive directly from Italy, Germany, Switzerland, and the United Kingdom. However, we are increasingly seeing passengers on these flights from Argentina, Brazil, Canada, Japan, Mexico, New Zealand, the USA, and most European countries."
Winter schedule
BRITISH Airways Egypt has recently announced its winter schedule that features daily flights between Cairo and London starting from 26 October. Flights depart at 8.35am and arrive at 12pm, enabling passengers to connect through the airline's hub at Heathrow Airport for same-day arrivals to key North American destinations with British Airways, and over 550 destinations in 132 countries with its Oneworld alliance partner.
Return flights operating daily from London to Cairo leave at 5pm and arrive at 11.55pm.
The Cairo-London route is serviced by Boeing 747-400 aircraft.
Travel news
Cleaner water in Nuweiba
EGYPT and the United States last month welcomed the completion of new wastewater treatment and water distribution facilities that are bringing improved services to residents and businesses in Nuweiba while supporting the growth of the area's vital tourism industry. The work is part of USAID's $325 million project for upgrading water and wastewater services for 650,000 residents in the city of Nuweiba and the governorates of Luxor, Mansoura and Aswan. The project oversaw the construction of plants and the instalation of pipelines to enlarge the water and wastewater network. The improvements benefit approximately 20,000 residents in the city of Nuweiba as well as the local hotel industry, adding enough extra capacity to serve a population as large as 42,000 as the city grows in coming years.
MTF round up
EGYPT's travel fair, dubbed "The Mediterranean Travel Fair" (MTF), held in Cairo from 16 to 18 September, was an opportunity for travel agents, hoteliers and investors to launch their new properties and products.
Alexandra Dive Centre (00+[203] 483 2045), that organises diving in the eastern harbour and Abu Qir, taking in Alexandria's sunken treasures, launched several further excursions. Now there is the possibility of diving amid World War II wrecks along Alexandria's coast, and Marsa Matrouh further to the west. Divers in these locations can explore several types of German and Italian planes, tanks and ships.
Boat safaris and fishing trips can also be organised. Vacationers are now offered a guided boat tour of Alexandria with lunch provided onboard. Alternatively, they can take fishing trips where they will be guided to the most promising fishing sites in Alexandria.
During the MTF, Travco Travel Agency (00+[202] 737 5737) announced the launching of an "Adventure Holidays" section. This section has created a new programme based on combining destinations such as Egypt and Libya. The programme is in the process of being marketed among international tour operators for the coming season, along with desert safari trips to places like the Western Desert, the western oases, as well as the Qattara Depression and Al-Gilf Al-Kabir.
Adventure Holidays also offer a wide variety of services ranging from camel, desert and diving safaris to educational and historical cultural expeditions, hot air balloon rides, ecotourism, and dune-sand boarding.
A number of religious tours was announced by Deyar Management and Investment (00+[202] 575 9042). Through these programmes, travellers can go on an Omra (off-season pilgrimage) trip via Cairo. Travellers spend four days in Cairo visiting various mosques and Islamic sites such as Al-Azhar, Sayyeda Zeinab and Al-Hussein before proceeding to Mecca and Medina in Saudi Arabia.
Another seven-night package is dedicated to the sites and shrines of Aal Al-Bayt (wives and relatives of the Prophet Mohamed) in Cairo, Alexandria and Tanta.
Tracing the route of the Holy Family in Egypt is a third possible journey, organised by Deyar. The tour starts from Rafah in north Sinai and proceeds to the Fustat in Cairo, passing by Arish, Sheikh Zewwaid, Al-Qals, Al-Mohammadeya, Tel Basta, Mustorod, Belbeis, Samannoud, Matariya and old Cairo.
Ramadan deals
THOSE who will travel to Egypt in the period from 26 October to 24 November should bear in mind that this coincides with the holy month of Ramadan, during which observant Muslims fast from dawn to sunset. Most hotels and resorts in that period would change their ordinary schedules and have Iftar and Sohour menus instead of regular lunch and dinner menus. Night entertainment will be reformatted as most hotels set up traditional-style tents where oriental music is played and common Ramadan foods and drinks are served alongside shisha.
Travellers should also check the opening and closing hours of the various ancient sites, as these tend to change during Ramadan.
Hotels & Nile cruisers
Kids specialties
TAKING the kids on a family vacation is not an easy task. Realising this, some resorts in Sharm El-Sheikh attempt to be family friendly and cater to children of all ages.
"Kids for all seasons" is the name of the programme of Four Seasons Resort Sharm El-Sheikh (www.fourseasons.com) where kids from age five to 12 can enjoy exciting indoor and outdoor activities for a half or a full day. The activities include colouring, ping pong, kite flying, storytelling, arts & crafts, movies, cooking, beach walks, surfing the Internet, video and computer games, and introduction to snorkelling in the children's pool.
An extensive kids menu is offered at each of the resort's restaurants.
In the Ritz-Carlton Sharm El-Sheikh (www.ritzcarlton.com) the young guest is personally welcomed by the Ritz-kids' club supervisor, who leaves her business card with the parents and can be contacted at any time. Children are given the kid club's programme and the children's menu wrapped by a ribbon.
In their room, children find special amenities including toys, baby shampoo and lotion. On departure they are given a framed photo of themselves taking part in the different activities of the club.
From Cairo to Luxor
MINISTER of Tourism Mamdouh El-Beltagui has announced, during the annual meeting of the Federation of the Arab Travel Writers, that cruise trips between Cairo and Luxor will be resumed soon. He explained that the first phase of operation would be from Cairo to Beni Suef. "There are no security problems," stressed El-Beltagui. "The main reason behind the halting of the long cruises was the need to clean the river bed so that boats could pass easily and safely. Also, there is a dire need to develop the docks all along the Nile from Cairo to Luxor," he said.
Al-Ahram Weekly Online : 23 - 29 October 2003 (Issue No. 661)
Located at: http://weekly.ahram.org.eg/2003/661/tr6.htm