5.4 million tourists from the two countries visited Sharm El-Sheikh in 2014, representing 55% of total inbound tourism to Egypt
By Akram Medhat - Travel Yalla journalist
Hisham Zaazou, Minister of Tourism, said total spending by Russian and British tourists in Sharm El-Sheikh last December reached $100 million, equivalent to 800 million pounds, with Russians spending $70 million and the British $30 million. Expected monthly losses have been estimated on that basis, given the suspension of flights to the city by Russia and Britain, and adding indirect losses from the impact on other sectors, they reach one billion pounds.
Zaazou added, during a press conference held today, Sunday, to launch the "Sharm El-Sheikh in Our Hearts" campaign to support domestic tourism, that Sharm El-Sheikh was visited by 5.4 million tourists last year, representing 55% of total inbound tourism to Egypt, 66% of them Russians and British. He noted that Russians stay an average of 12 days, with 30% of them repeat visitors, while the British stay 9 days.
He pointed out that losses from the halt of Russian tourism and the impact on British tourism in Hurghada reach 1.2 billion pounds a month, but Hurghada sees larger Russian traffic, so the losses there are higher.
