Within the framework of follow up of accomplishments that were achieved in the tourism sector during the fiscal year 2006/2007 the Minister of Tourism Zuhair Garrana stated that Tourism Sector witnessed a remarkable growth during the five-year plan 2002/2003-2006/2007.
He pointed out that the actual accomplished increase over target in this plan, which continued until end of the fiscal year 2006/2007 – amounted 31% in tourists numbers and amounted 97% in tourist nights, which led to the increase of the achieved tourism income with a rate of 24% over the target in the five-year plan.
This was included in a press release issued by the Egyptian Ministry of Tourism obtained by Al-Masalla. Garrana confirmed the keenness of the ministry on increasing the present hotel capacity to cope with the achieved increase and the expected increase.
The rate of increase that is scheduled as 15000 hotel rooms annually to reach in 2011 to 240000 and increase of number of tourists into 14 million same year 2011. Accommodation capacity increased with a rate of 6% over the target in the five-year plan.
In this regard the Minister asserted that every increase in number of tourists and accommodation capacity effectively contribute in providing new job opportunities for Egyptian youth.
He also affirmed that upgrading tourism can not be fulfilled except with coordination of all efforts whether governmental or popular as tourism in the first place is a service industry primarily depends on tourist satisfaction and working for his repeated visit.
The rate of repeating visits in Egypt is still less than the hoped rates despite of the development of the infra-structure in some of regions and development of airports and outlets, but we should exert more effort and work for acquiring Egypt her just share of the world tourism movement that is suitable ti natural components.