December 2005
Yoga festival by the Red Sea
In March, 1-7th, the first ever yoga festival in the Middle East will be held in Hurghada. This will give a good opportunity to practice yoga by the Red Sea, in the desert and up in the mountains. The festival will be held in the 5 star resort le Meridien, at Makadi Bay near Hurghada. Seminars and lectures about yoga, workshops, demonstrations by leading Yoga experts, as well as bazaar exhibitions for yoga products will be on the schedule. Everything from hatha yoga to yoga for scubadivers will be featured at this festival. For More information please see:
London nightclub opens branch in Hurghada
Ministry of Sound opening in Hurghada for New Year’s Eve
After the exclusive Pacha club and Buddha bar established local branches in Sharm el Sheikh, the turn has come to Hurghada. The London club organiser Ministry of Sound will open two clubs in Hurghada, starting with two huge New Year’s parties on New Years’ Eve. Read the press release on the Ministry of Sound website:
http://www.ministryofsound.com/News/20051121_2.htm
See www.yallabina.com for event listings in Cairo and on the Red Sea Riviera
Peer Gynt at the Pyramids
In 2006, it is 100 years since Henrik Ibsen passed away, and as part of the so-called Ibsen year, the drama Peer Gynt will be performed at the Pyramids. The performance, which will take place in October 2006, is a collaboration between Norway and Egypt. It is the most ambitious Norwegian culture arrangement ever to be realised outside the country's borders. Her Majesty Queen Sonja will attend the performance.
See www.ibsen.net
Wadi Al-Hittan - a name to remember
The first Egyptian World Natural Heritage site is declared declared by UNESCO, adding to the already impressive list of World Heritage sites in Egypt.
In the desert, just west of Cairo in the Fayoum Governorate, lies the natural reserve Wadi Hittan or the Whales’ Valley. It was recently placed on the World Natural Heritage list for the unique quality of the whales fossils found there, and also the fascinating environment that surrounds it. There is potential of increased number of tourists to Wadi Hittan, and a development project has now been started in order to improve the possibilities for tourism to the area.
UNESCO describe on their website that the fossils portray vividly the form and life of these whales during their transition. The number, concentration and quality of such fossils there is unique, as is their accessibility and setting in an attractive and protected landscape.
New Hurghada airport
Egypt is investing heavily to improve its airports, the first plans include a new terminal in Cairo and expansion at Sharm el Sheikh airport. There are also plans for a new airport in Hurghada, and new security systems are currently being installed at six airports.
With tourism increasing every year, the pressure is increasing on Egypt’s airports. Therefore, Egypt is now involved in a project for its airports costing more than 2 billion USD. Luxor airport renewal project was finished this summer. Seven new airports are to be built during the next few years, the new number totalling 26 modern airports. Projects underway are among others a third terminal at Cairo International Airport, as well as expansion of the Sharm el Sheikh and Hurghada airports. New airports are to be built include one in Marsa Alam at the Red Sea and one in the Western Desert.
Eight of Egypt’s airports will also get a new security system. Work on this began in November with the Cairo and Sharm el Sheikh airports, and then Hurghada, Luxor, Aswan, Abu Simbel and Alexandria’s Borg el Arab airports will be next. The security systems will include new systems for baggage and passenger screening, as well as increased control of employees’ movement within the airport.
Egypt expects 14 million tourists by 2010
Egypt is gradually opening up its markets to tourism development and is aiming at increasing tourism flows considerably the next few years. Being so close to Europe helps. Already, Europeans make up a third of tourism flows to Egypt.
From January to October this year, Egypt has attracted 6.5 million tourists, an increase of 6.1% compared to last year. The Prime Minister and the Minister of Tourism have set an objective to increase tourist arrivals to reach 14 million tourist by the year 2010. A comparison shows that Europeans are the most important group for Egypt, 29.9% of tourists are European. The prime minister Mr Ahmad Nazif said in a speech at the World Tourism Day held in November in Cairo that Egypt is hoping to achieve this by the gradual application of the Open skies agreement over the next two years.
Budget flights to Egypt
The budget airline Yallafly are looking to expand
A subsidiary of Travco, Egypt’s leading travel company called Yallafly are planning low-cost flights from Scandinavia. This airline will offer the possibility of online bookings, and is planning to fly to major cities in Europe – Paris, Frankfurt, Rome, as well as the Scandinavian countries.
Charter flight support program
The Egyptian government helps charter companies with paying for empty seats.
To encourage tourism, the Egyptian Tourism Authority has announced that it will support charter companies by paying a fixed sum per empty seat when a certain percentage of seats have been filled. Applications can be made by Egyptian travel agents officially appointed to represent foreign tour operators. This program now runs for most airports in Egypt.
Siwa ecolodge is on Condé Nast’s Green list 2005
In this year’s ‘green list’ of ecofriendly hotels and resorts, Conde Nast Traveller Magazine names the Adrère Amellal eco-lodge in Siwa, Egypt. In the peaceful Berber oasis Siwa in the Western Desert, the Egyptian government now requires traditional methods for all construction. This desert ecolodge is one of many ecolodges in Egypt. By the Red Sea, there are beach and diving eco-lodges, including the Basata eco-lodge in Sinai and the Marsa Shagra in Marsa Alam.
Adrère Amellal: +20-2-736-7879
The Pyramids - the world's best tourist attraction
The Pyramids, one of the Seven Wonders of the World, now ranked number one on Hillman’s list of the world’s top 100 wonders. Among the first hundred on Hillman’s list, Egypt has seven attractions, only China and India have more places on the top 100. Egypt is one of the countries with the most to offer, both in terms of nature and culture.
http://www.hillmanwonders.com/
Tutankhamon’s drinking habits revealed
The mystery of what was inside the jars found in Tutankhamon’s tomb is solved – he preferred red wine. Spanish scientists analysed scrapings from eight jars found in his tomb and managed to determine the colour.
“Wine jars were placed in tombs as funerary medals”, says Maria Rosa Guasch-Jane, Egyptologist at the University of Barcelona. On the jars, there were labels stating product, year, source and even the name of the wine grower, but not the colour. Now, the last mystery therefore is solved, it was red wine, nothing else.
Events in Egypt 2006
First ever Oriental Dance Festival in Egypt – 28th Dec-6th January 2006
In Cairo, the belly dancer Raqia Hassan is organizing a belly dancing festival for the first time ever.
25th African Cup held in Cairo January 20 - February 10
http://www.egypt2006.com.eg/english/
Yoga festival 1-7th March 2006
The first ever yoga festival in the Middle East will be held in Hurghada during the first week of March 2006. The location is the Meridien Makadi Bay Resort,
http://www.egyptyogafestival.com/
Solar Eclipse 29th March 2006
A solar eclipse lasting for nearly four minutes, this will be the first solar eclipse in Egypt for twenty years.
Peer Gynt at the Pyramids
On the 26th October 2006, it is time for some Scandinavian culture at the Pyramids. The Ibsen drama Peer Gynt will be given at the Pyramids as part of the Ibsen year, and it is collaboration between Norway and Egypt.
Egypt in Scandinavia and Finland
Egypt @ Scandinavian Tourism Fairs
Egyptian Tourist Office will participate as exhibitors at the following fairs:
January:
Egypt at the Reiseliv Fair in Oslo – Egypt’s first lady HE Suzanne Mubarak will visit Oslo and a press conference will be held
Matka in Helsinki
Ferie in Copenhagen
February:
Ferie for Alle in Herning
March:
TUR in Gothenburg.
Ahlan Oriental Nights Dance Festival 2006
In April, some of Egypt's most
famous artists of oriental dance will come to Stockholm
for the Oriental Dance festival. Please see
www.magdans.se for more info.
Contact us:
Embassy of Egypt Tourist Office, Stockholm
Tourism Counsellor: Mr Ibrahim Khalil
email: Egypt@chello.se
Information Assistant: Amanda Billner
Email: Egypt3@chello.se
Phone: +46 8 101548