Feature: Return of Chinese tourists contributes to Egypt's tourism rebound

Mohamed A. Salama, head of the International Tourism Offices Sector at the Egyptian Tourism Promotion Authority, is interviewed with Xinhua in Cairo, Egypt, on April 27, 2023. (Xinhua/Sui Xiankai)

CAIRO, May 2 (Xinhua) -- In front of the Great Pyramids of Giza in Egypt's capital Cairo, several groups of Chinese tourists are taking photos and selfies, enjoying their trip to the historic site.

Abbas Sayed, a 38-year-old Egyptian tour guide of one of the tourist groups, said after the sightseeing in the capital, he would take his group to Aswan province in southern Egypt to visit the historic Abu Simbel temple complex.

Sayed said the number of Chinese tourists coming to Egypt has been surging since the beginning of this year, which not only boosts his income but also the country's tourism and other related business as well.

"The strong return of Chinese tourists to Egypt doesn't only make a difference to Chinese-speaking Egyptian tour guides but to all those working in the tourism sector in Egypt," Sayed told Xinhua.

The favorite destinations for Chinese tourists in Egypt, according to Sayed, are the capital Cairo where they could visit the pyramids and museums, the southern provinces of Luxor and Aswan where they can tour the massive ancient temples, and the Red Sea resort city of Hurghada.

"Coming from a country with an ancient civilization too, the Chinese tour the Egyptian historic sites with deep respect and reverence," Sayed said.

Chen Yixin, a tourist from southern China's Guangzhou city, said he arrived in Egypt early Monday morning and would stay for nine days.

"I've watched lots of documentaries and got really interested in Egypt's culture and scenic spots," he said, adding that "the plane he took on his way to Egypt was packed with Chinese tourists."

Tourism is one of the pillar industries of Egypt, accounting for around 12 percent of the GDP.

Official data shows the tourist number in Egypt dropped from over 13 million in 2019 to around 3.7 million in 2020 due to the pandemic. It gradually recovered to about 8 million in 2021 and further rebounded throughout 2022 to a nearing pre-pandemic level.

Ahmed Fawzy, owner and CEO of a Cairo-based tour company, said the Egyptian travel agencies accommodating Chinese tourists all reported good performance in January.

Expecting tourist spots and market alleyways to be bustled with Chinese tourists again, governments and businesses are gearing up for their arrival.

"Once we learned that the travel of Chinese tourists to Egypt will be resumed, we started our preparations and our promotion work to attract more Chinese tourists," Mohamed A. Salama, head of the International Tourism Offices Sector at the Egyptian Tourism Promotion Authority, the promotion arm of the Ministry of Tourism and Antiquities, told Xinhua.

Salama stressed that Egypt is working on increasing its share of China's outbound travel market, saying, "We hope that Egypt will be on top of the destinations of Chinese tourists." 

Tourists visit the Giza Pyramids in Giza, Egypt, on May 1, 2023. (Xinhua/Sui Xiankai)

Chinese tourists pose for photos with a camel as they visit the Giza Pyramids in Giza, Egypt, on April 28, 2023. (Xinhua/Ahmed Gomaa)

An Egyptian tour guide is interviewed at the Giza Pyramids in Giza, Egypt, on May 1, 2023. (Xinhua/Sui Xiankai)

Tourists visit the Giza Pyramids in Giza, Egypt, on May 1, 2023. (Xinhua/Sui Xiankai)

Tourists visit the Giza Pyramids in Giza, Egypt, on May 1, 2023. (Xinhua/Sui Xiankai)

Chinese tourists pose for photos as they visit the Giza Pyramids in Giza, Egypt, on April 28, 2023. (Xinhua/Ahmed Gomaa)